Dead or Alive 4: The Devil Factor
by Damon Black
Summary: DOAxDMC crossover. Chp 40 up. Rated M because that's what the DMC and DOA games are rated. SPOILERS for all games inside. R&R if you would please.
1. The mission, the plan, and the devil man

A/N: I made this after playing DOA4. I was super pissed that Dante appearing in Soul Calibur 3 was just a hoax. But hey, I always thought he would fit better in DOA. This story takes place a few weeks after DOA4 and a year or so after DMC 2. Hayate and the Ninjas have destroyed the DOATEC Tritower and Dante has returned to his shop after taking down Argosax at the Vidu Mali Islands.

Disclaimer: Devil May Cry is owned by Capcom, Dead or Alive is owned by Tecmo and Team Ninja. I own diddly and if one or all of said companies sues me, they would only lose money.

This is my first story so praise me, flame me, I do not care, just be honest.

**Dead or Alive 4: The Devil Factor**

**Chapter 1-The Mission, The Plan, and The Devil Man**

_Three miles north of the Mugen Tenshin Clan village _

_Japan_

_Tuesday-10:26 p.m._

Hayate gazed across the forest he loved so much. Whenever he needed to think or simply to be alone, he came here. He stood atop the highest branch on his favorite tree, the one he stood on when he trained his newly made ninjas in the wilderness.

Tonight, he was thinking about his recent victory over DOATEC and the destruction of the once mighty Tritower, the very symbol of DOATEC's power. When he and the others returned to the village, they got a hero's welcome. The villagers congratulated him on bringing down DOATEC and his fellow ninjas seemed to swell with pride about their leader and the justice that they exacted.

However, only a fool would believe that the battle was truly over. Destroying the Tritower was indeed a great accomplishment, but it was only the beginning.

DOATEC was a vast corporate empire. It would take time and manpower to locate and destroy the rest of DOATEC. Both of which was on short supply to him. He lost a lot of good ninjas when they stormed the tower. Only Ryu, Ayane, a handful of the ninjas he brought with him, as well as himself, made it back. The ones that did not make it back met their end at the hands of DOATEC's private soldiers and their diabolical machines and weapons. They had been avenged, but their names and faces would forever be etched into his memory.

"The tower might as well have been a military fortress" Hayate mused to himself.

He needed more ninjas. But more importantly he needed time. DOATEC would most assuredly strike back once they get their bearings. He would rather hit them again then try to fight off an invasion of his home. Ryu lost his clan to invaders. He would not lose his the same way.

His sister, Kasumi, entered his mind. "If she where to rejoin us…"

He quickly pushed that thought out of his head. She chose to abandon her position and become a runaway. Even if he did want her back, the Mugen Tenshin Clan laws were absolute. And he did want her back.

He remembered the time when they were children, how she skinned her knee while she was playing with the other children. He carried her back home and tended to her wound when their mother was busy. She always looked up to him, always came to him when she had a problem, and always tried to make him smile.

Those days where long gone and he knew it. But, he still wished he could relive those times. When he did not have the burden of Clan leader. When he did not have to worry about brining justice and honor to the world. When he did not have to order the assassination of his own sister.

"No matter. It is still my duty as clan leader to take these responsibilities and carry them out," He reminded himself.

He looked up at the night sky and wondered to himself, "If we fail, if I fail, then I suppose Kasumi will truly be free from us."

He took one last look at the forest, leaped from the tree branch, and disappeared into the darkness the forest provided.

_Devil May Cry building_

_United States_

_Wednesday-11:42 p.m._

"Bored, bored, bored, boredity, bored, _fucking _BORED!"

Dante was mentally and repeatedly going over how un-stimulated he was. Ever since the incident on Vidu Mali, it had been slow for Dante, in terms of work. In fact, the only times he had not been bored was on his three big missions. The incident with the Temen-ni-gru, the attempted second coming of Mundus, and the summoning of Argosax. Each was too far apart and too long ago.

Dante sat in his trademark position, in his comfy, oversized chair with his feet upon the desk. He was dressed in a black, button-up dress shirt with the top two buttons undone. He wore red pants, black boots, and black motorcycle gloves. His latest red coat was hung-up on the coat rack. This version was a dark red leather coat, ankle length, with a slit in the middle of the back that came from the bottom up to center of the coat. Unlike his other coats, this one did not have any gun holsters placed on it. His guns, Ebony & Ivory lay askew on his desk and his sword, Rebellion, sat propped up on the wall behind him.

Heavy rock music blasted from the jukebox at the far corner of the room. His pool table, drum set, and other pieces of furniture were still standing in their respected places. The only notable differences that could be seen were the addition of the heads of the demons Dante had slain. One trophy that stood out was the body of a Hell Vanguard held up by two scythes that were taken from other Hell Vanguards. The remains of Marionettes, Sin Scissors, Goatlings, the many kinds of Hell Jailers, and various other demons were decorated across the walls of the _Devil May Cry_. The only exception was the wall behind him, which held the many Devil Arms and guns he had obtained during his missions. The Alastor, the Vendetta, the Cerberus, all of his Devil Arms was on display with the guns placed in a glass cabinet.

Trish was laid out on the sofa, reading a trashy romance novel she picked up a while back. Normally, Dante would give her a hard time about reading that "lovey-dovey bullshit" as he put it. But right now, Dante was so bored that even he thought about giving it a read.

Trish still wore her black leather outfit, but she added a few extra touches not too recently. She sewed the outline of the woman on the _Devil May Cry_ sign in red on the back of the black leather jacket she would wear sometimes. She also wore two black gun holsters across her hips where she placed her own custom made guns, modeled after Dante's, the Noir & Blanche. French for black and white, she thought it gave them a sense of elegance and beauty. Dante thought she was just a copycat.

Lucia was sitting on the leather recliner, cleaning her various blades and knives that were neatly arranged on the coffee table. She was cleaning the left blade of her Cutlaseer set, the same set she used to kill Arius. She took great care of her weapons and had since added more to her collection, including balanced throwing knives. She still wore her grey outfit, but she began to show interest in the American clothes she saw in the window shops.

After Argosax's destruction, Lucia decided that she did not need to stay on the islands and went with Dante to stay with him. Lucia was a valued friend and partner, but he was afraid that she and Trish might not get along. To his surprise, they became fast friends.

As for Lady, he still saw her from time to time, but she still wanted to hunt by herself, for now. Each time he asked if she wanted to join, it took her longer to answer. It was obvious she was still upset about the incidents of Temen-ni-gru, maybe having some friends nearby could bring her around.

Letting out a deep sigh, Dante reached out to grab a slice of pizza from the pizza box next to him.

"Might as well close up for the night, ladies. It's obvious that nothings going to happen." Dante informed.

He heard affirmative murmurs from Lucia and Trish.

Before Dante could get up from his seat to lock-up, the front door swung open. A man step inside, a fat man who wore a simple outfit of a striped shirt, jeans, a coat, and a cap that New York cabdrivers used to wear.

"Hey Dante! Ya there?" The man bellowed with a hint of an Italian accent.

"Enzo." Dante groaned, "What the hell do you want?"

"A fine howdy-do to you too, Dante." Enzo replied. Enzo was Dante's liaison, the man who held on to Dante's money, looked for jobs, made background checks on clients, and other tasks. In a since, he did all the work the Dante would not do to keep the _Devil May Cry_ operating. He also had a nasty habit of drinking away his share of the profits.

Enzo helped Dante start the _Devil May Cry_ since before Dante had a name for it. He also got on Dante's nerves with his insistent complaining when Dante passed on jobs that were "boring". He threatened to fire Enzo numereous times, as well as other unpleasant things. In the end, Dante always let it go. After all, if he fired and/or killed Enzo, he would have to start doing Enzo's job. And that included paperwork. Dante absolutely _loathed_ paperwork.

Enzo looked at Dante with a wide grin "Guess what, Dante."

"You finally discovered that you have dick?" Dante replied.

The sound of Trish and Lucia snickering filled the _Devil May Cry_.

"NO!" Enzo growled while throwing a glare at Dante's two lady friends. Both of whom where still doing what they were before Enzo arrived, acting like nothing happened.

"_I_ got _YOU_ a job." Enzo declared. "A good one too."

"You mean like the so-called kidnapping case that turned out to be just a missing cat?"

"Hey, cut me some slack! I didn't know that the old broad who contacted me was senile. Besides, this one is on the up and up. I promise"

"Your promises are as trustworthy as carnival games."

Enzo ignored Dante's last statement. "Ever heard of DOATEC?"

"You mean the one that's one of the largest and most powerful companies to ever exist. Who makes everything from robotics to soap?" Dante had a mock look of confusion on his face. "Never heard of them. Who are they?"

Enzo rolled his eyes. "Very funny, Dante."

"Thanks." Dante replied with smirk.

Enzo took a deep breath and continued, "They also host and run a little martial arts competition as well, 'The Dead or Alive Tournament'. The fourth one just ended."

"Well la-dee-daa. What's that got to do with me?" Dante said sarcastically.

"Didn't cha hear? The DOATEC headquarters was destroyed during the end of the DOA tourney."

This perked Dante's curiosity. "Oh? What happened?"

"According to the DOATEC spokesman, terrorists bombed the place."

Dante felt his curiosity being replaced with disappointment. "Everything's about terrorists, nowadays."

"Anyway, one of DOATEC's bigwigs, a Professor Donovan if I recall, wants to hire you."

"For what, to kill the terrorists? That's the army's or even the government's job, not mine."

"I don't know what he wants, but he set up an appointment to meet you and discuss it." Enzo replied.

"Let me guess, you accepted?" Dante stated.

"It's either this, or back to rescuing wittle kittens." Enzo said with a laugh.

At that moment, the phone rang. Dante brought his leg up and slammed it down on the desk. The receiver flew off the catch and into the air landing in Dante's outstretched hand.

"_Devil May Cry_" Dante said into the phone. Silence filled the room for a grand total of three seconds "DID I SAY THIS IS JACK'S PIZZA PLACE? WRONG NUMBER, JACKASS!"

Dante flung the phone and the receiver landed in the catch perfectly.

Dante felt Enzo looking at him with that stupid smirk of his. He looked up and was proven correct.

Dante let out a low groan, "Fine, when and where?"

"Tomorrow, 7 o'clock and, get this, he wants to see you at _The Haven_! Pretty sweet, huh?"

That definitely got Dante's attention. _The Haven_ was THE most classy and expensive restaurant in town. They where always booked on reservations. It took someone with a lot of money, or power, or both, to get a table at a moments notice.

Dante got that feeling he only got when he knew something big was going down.

_The Haven_

_United States_

_Thursday-7:22 p.m._

Donovan looked at his Rolex for the fifth time that night. He was dressed in a very fine Italian suit. The best money could buy. His white hair was slicked back and his glasses where set firmly on his face. His Italian shoes, polished to the nth degree, cost him a pretty penny as well.

"He's late." He muttered to himself.

_The Haven_ was located in a large and posh building made to look like a temple of ancient Greece. Greek statues and paintings filled the room. Musicians in tuxedos performed classical music for the diners. There were many tables around. All of them were filled. Donovan had to grease a few hands in order to get a table on such short notice. It did not matter to him. Even though those accursed ninjas destroyed the Tritower and DOATEC's stock plummeted, Donovan still had quite a bit of money left.

Donovan sat at a table close to the wall in order to remain inconspicuous. He was still a hunted man. If it was not the Mugen Tenshin ninjas and their failed experiment of a leader, than it was that nut-job assassin, Bayman.

"So many enemies, not enough time to deal with them." Donavan thought.

A flash of red caught his attention. He looked up and saw a young man in a red leather coat being lead to his table by one of the greeters. The man in red was getting a lot of looks from the patrons and staff. Some looked at him with distain, others looked at him with curiosity, most of the young females in the restaurant looked at him with great interest and whispered things to the other young females nearby. After showing him the appropriate table, the greeter departed and Dante sat down.

"Mister Dante, I presume?" Donovan asked.

"Yes, hold the applause." Dante quickly replied as he leaned back in his seat and threw an arm over the back of his chair.

Donovan thought the man would look more comfortable at a fast food joint with the other Joe six-packs. He quickly gathered his thoughts. "I've got enough enemies. I shouldn't be trying to make brand new ones." He thought to himself.

Donovan looked at Dante with a smile and an outstretched hand, "My name is Professor Victor Donovan of DOATEC."

Dante looked at Donovan's hand then back to his face. Dante would rather shake hands with a rabid dog. But to save face, he took Donovan's hand, gave it a quick pump, than let go.

Donovan could instantly tell the man needed to develop some social skills. But socializing is not what Donovan had in mind for Dante.

"I have a very important job for you, Mr. Dante." Donovan stated as he took out a piece of paper from his suit.

"And what is that?" Dante asked as a waiter poured the two men some wine then asked if there was anything else he could get for them.

Donovan said no, waited for him to get out of earshot and answered Dante's question. "I need you to deliver something to the person in this picture."

Donovan set the photo face down on the table and pushed it to Dante.

Dante did not even take the photo when he replied, "Forget it Doc. What do I look like, UPS?"

Donovan took a sip of wine before he responded. "First of all, it's _Professor_. Secondly, the person in question cannot be…accessed…so easily."

"In fact," Donovan continued, "I really don't trust the postal service with this parcel. It is rather…valuable."

Dante did not like the fact that Donovan had to pause to find words to use. It was a sure sign that something was fishy about the assignment. And for Dante, fishy meant very illegal.

Dante finally took the photo, flipped it over and took a look.

The photograph was of a beautiful, young Asian girl. She had auburn hair and eyes. She wore a sailor schoolgirl uniform used in certain Japanese schools. He knew this, because many strip joints that were favored by Japanese businessmen had women dressed up in these getups. The girl in the photo was talking to other girls as she was walking down the street. The photo was obviously taken without her knowledge.

"She looks young, REAL young, maybe mid to late teens. She's built too. I mean, no way she's that young and have that big of a chest." Dante thought to himself.

Donovan noticed that Dante was rather interested with the photo. "Pretty, isn't she?"

Dante's head snapped up. "What? Oh, yeah! Yeah, she is…something else."

"Damn it! Now I'm sounding like Professor Gramps, over there!" Dante thought to himself.

"Well? Do you change you mind?" Donovan asked with his hands clasped in front of his face.

Dante stared at the picture again, this time thinking over what Donovan had asked him to do. "What's the package?"

"It's small. A box about 6-inches long, 3-inches wide…"

"No, what's in it?" Dante interrupted.

"I am afraid…"

"That it's none of my business." Dante finished, he had heard the same line many times before from pervious jobs. "Yeah, I get it."

"It's nothing illegal or dangerous, I assure you." Donovan reassured.

"Yeah, sure." Dante trusted this guy as much as Enzo.

"Where is she?" Dante inquired.

"In Japan. Tokyo, Japan to be precise. She is attending an all girls' school there. She is also living in an apartment near the school, room 403"

"I thought you said she was hard to get a hold of. Sounds like you know where she is pretty well."

"I also said that I don't trust the postal service." Donovan replied matter-o-factly.

"How much?" Dante was waiting for this part.

"1 million dollars, U.S. currency of course. Half now, half later." Donovan was starting to smirk. Dante hated guys that smirk alot.

Dante examined the picture some more, weighing the facts with what he was feeling at the moment. He did not like the information that was given to him. There were too many questions he wanted to ask, and he had a feeling he would not get the answers he wanted. On the other hand, that 1 million was sounding nice and it would give him an excuse to get off his ass and stretch his legs.

Dante reached into his coat and pulled out his Coin of Fate, like the one he used on Vidu Mali. This one, however, did have two opposite sides. The head was the outline of the woman on his sign. The other side had _Devil May Cry_ written in elaborate, cursive letters.

He flicked it into the air and snatched it when it came back down. He opened his gloved hand. Donovan watched with curiosity.

Woman. Heads.

"I'll do it."

Donovan's face grew a large smile. "Good to hear, Mr. Dante." He reached into his suit's other pocket and provided the box he described earlier. It was indeed small and wrapped in blue paper.

"I have made arrangements for my private jet to take you to Japan, tomorrow at 8 a.m. sharp."

Donovan's smile disappeared and he shot Dante a serious glance. "And I do mean _sharp_."

"Yeah, yeah." Dante replied while waving a dismissive hand. "I got it, doc."

Dante put away his coin and the photo, grabbed the box, chugged down his wine, and got up to leave.

"Under no circumstances are you to open that box, Mr. Dante." Donovan then growled out, "And it's _Professor_!"

"Whatever." Dante replied as he put the box in his coat pocket. "Oh, before I forget, what's her name?"

Donovan's sinister smirk appeared again. "Her name is Kasumi."

Dante looked at Donovan for a few seconds more, then turned to leave.

"I don't like this at all. And if that Donovan creep tries anything funny…" Dante thought. He left what he was going to do to him open, since he was sure whatever he thought up of, he could top it later on.

Donovan waited until Dante left, then took out his cell phone. He keyed the number in and held the phone up to his ear as he waited for a response. In three rings, someone picked up.

"What is it?" A cold voice asked

"It's me. He accepted." Donovan reported.

"Good. I'll make sure he gets a warm welcome once he arrives." The other man hung up.

"I'm sure you will." Donovan said as he hung up and put the phone away.

"The chess game is ready, Mr. Dante. What will be your first move?" Donovan said as he took another sip of his wine.


	2. The deal and the hunter's arrival

A/N: I am kinda disappointed about the lack of reviews, but to be honest, I didn't expect many at all since this is my first fanfic. It has also come to my attention that some readers might not know the story to Devil May Cry. So, I'll try to incorporate as much DMC info as I can, just to fill in any holes.

Disclaimer: DMC owned by Capcom. DOA owned by Team Ninja and Tecmo. I don't even own my truck.

Chapter 2. Let me know what y'all think! Please?

**Dead or Alive 4: The Devil Factor**

**Chapter 2-The Deal and The Hunter's Arrival**

_Helena's suite_

_France_

_Friday-8:03 a.m._

Helena looked at herself in the vanity mirror of her bathroom. Her blonde hair was a mess, dark rings formed under he eyes, and her once crystal green eyes had grown dim. Such signs meant only one thing, sleep was eluding Helena, once again.

"I look like a train wreck." Helena mumbled to herself as she rubbed her sleep-deprived eyes.

This was not the first time she had a restless night. Ever since the horrible night when she witnessed her own mother's death, sleeping was a luxury she had trouble obtaining. She would spend most of the night, staring at the ceiling, going over what had happened in her life. If by some miracle she did fall asleep, she would have the same nightmare. She was at the opera hall again, watching from afar as her mother and her dream self sang. Halfway through the opera, the beautiful music that filled the hall was shattered as a single gunshot echoed throughout the building. She watched in helpless silence as her mother fell, the dream Helena rushed over to her mother, unable to do anything but hold her and watch her die.

As she began to brush her hair, Helena knew that she did not have time to sit around and feel sorry for herself. She still had work to do.

The chairmen of the board of DOATEC had 'suggested' that she take a short vacation in order for her to rest up after the incident at the Tritower. That was their way of telling her to piss off as they tried to save DOATEC themselves.

She, on the other hand, had no intention of saving DOATEC.

She planned to destroy it.

DOATEC was a mere shadow of itself. Once, it had been a noble corporation, one that held the Dead or Alive Tournament to challenge the world's best fighters and entertain the spectators. But that was when her father, Fame Douglous, was in charge. He was killed, _murdered_, by an assassin. Then DOATEC fell into the hands of Donovan and the corrupt members of the board. Now DOATEC and the tournament were used as a way to further their own sinister goals. Donovan was using her father's company as a shield while he continued his research and experiments, trying to create the perfect fighter.

Even when she assumed the position of DOATEC president, she knew what she had to do.

"To destroy DOATEC, so a new one, a better one can be created." She whispered her new goal in life as she tied her hair into a ponytail.

DOATEC was far too corrupt for it to be saved. When a house was so badly infested with cockroaches, the only thing to do was to tear it down and rebuild.

Helena closed her eyes, "I will make you proud of DOATEC again, father."

Then it happened. The memories came flooding back, hitting her like a sledgehammer. Hearing of father's murder as she was playing with her dog, Francis. Hearing mother cry herself to sleep each night after father's death. Witnessing mother slowly becoming a zombie, losing the life that she once possessed. Feeling mother's hot blood splatter on her face as a bullet tore her down. The light in mother's eyes becoming dim. Watching as one more casket is lowered into the ground. The last of her family, buried, forever.

By the time Helena's senses came back to her, she had fallen to her knees and felt bile fighting its way up her throat. She desperately crawled her way to the toilet to empty her stomach of the breakfast she had eaten only an hour ago. When she was done, she stayed on the floor, grasping the porcelain with shaking hands, breathing deeply and erratically.

"Damn it." She cursed. "Not again"

The flashbacks were another thorn in her side. Usually, it happened when she was alone, when her mind wandered and she remembered something about her past. Sometimes it happened in public, but they were brief and mild and she could pass them off as migraines. It never happened when she was in a fight. Her mind was always focused on her opponent.

When her stomach settled, she stood on two shaky legs and made her way to the medicine cabinet. She retrieved a small bottle and popped two pills in her mouth.

She gripped the sink and looked at herself in the mirror again.

"Don't you _dare_ quit on me. We've lost too much to stop now." She bitterly spoke to her reflection.

She took a deep breath and stood straight and proud. "That's better."

"All right," She thought to herself. "First, I'll need to gain access to the DOATEC mainframe and…"

Her rumbling stomach interrupted her train of thought, reminding her that it was empty. Another breakfast did sound good to her.

"Let's see if I can keep it down this time."

_Donovan's laboratory_

_United States_

_Friday-7:32 a.m._

"Please enter your name and identification number please." A mechanical voice asked.

Donovan typed his name and number into the keyboard next to the large, metal door. This was merely the first of five other security checkpoints that lead into his workspace. Normally, Donovan resented having to waste his time with frivolous security matters when he could be working on his various projects. However, since the Tritower incident, he began to wonder if the checkpoints would be enough to safeguard his research. And himself.

"Welcome Professor Donovan." The voice said as the doors opened.

After a retinal scan, finger print match, and DNA test, Donovan had one more checkpoint to go.

"Please state your name and password."

"Professor Victor Donovan. 'The unexamined life is not worth living'."

"Password accepted." The last of the doors opened.

Donovan stepped through and the doors closed behind him. The lights in his lab flickered on revealing how large the room was. Even though there were countless machines, computers, and lab equipment, the workplace seemed rather spacious. At first glance, the area seemed to be a normal lab, albeit a very large and advanced one. What made this lab different and, indeed, very special was that along the far wall were metal-incased cylinders. Inside these cylinders were the Kasumi clones that had been fortunate enough to be stationed _away_ from the Tritower.

He disliked having all his clones in one place. One attack and he would have to start from scratch. However, his private lab did not officially exist. Not even the members of the board or their worthless acting president, Helena, knew of its existence. This was the safest place he could put them.

Donovan continued to ponder to himself as he grabbed a lab coat from a hanger and moved to his desk.

"Before I can continue with my work, I'll have to deal with those pesky ninjas." Donovan thought as he put on his coat and sat down.

His desk nearly overflowed with paperwork, his computer was booted up and ready, and empty plastic coffee cups littered the area around him. He knocked a few empty cups to the ground and shuffled through the papers. He put aside the ones that he needed and tossed the others. When he found all the papers he needed he began to look through them.

Each paper had reports about what was lost and what had survived after the destruction of the Tritower. Most of what was listed could easily be replaced. The ones that could not involved some of his staff members. He did not need them, but without them, he would have to pick up their slack.

Donovan looked up as a cup filled with fresh coffee was placed on his desk. A Kasumi clone began to clean up the empty cups after giving Donovan his coffee. The clone wore a light purple business suit and a knee-long dress with a white dress shirt. It wore its hair in a bun on top of its head. It looked like a perfect copy of Kasumi. However, Kasumi's eyes had an abundance of energy in them. The clone's eyes were empty and lifeless, just like a doll. The differences did not stop at appearance though. The clones could not act like Kasumi. Just like their eyes, the clones we're emotionless.

The Kasumi clone that was up and about was one of the early models, unlike the third generation ones in the tanks. While it had perfect motor functions and understood orders very well, it could not fight. At least, it could not fight on the same level as the original. They did make good maids. They could cook and clean when shown how. The first-generation clones were useless in his plans for DOATEC and should have been destroyed, but Donovan did not want to simply throw away perfectly good clones that could still serve a purpose. Besides, he spent billions of dollars and months of his time and patience into their production. He was bound and determined to get his moneys worth.

"I hope that housework is the only thing you use those dolls for."

Donovan nearly jumped out of his seat. He spun his chair around and saw whom the voice belonged to. It was the man he spoke to on the phone after getting Dante to accept his job. The man that was now his new ally.

"I'm not that desperate, if you must know." Donovan huffed. "Besides, reducing a multi-billion dollar clone into a sex slave is an insult to my work."

The man walked past Donovan and came to the center of the room. He stood before a holographic tank that was currently displaying a DNA strand. The strand would periodically split with data readouts pointing to particular parts. Then the strand would comeback together, only to be taken apart again.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?" Donovan sarcastically asked as he stood beside the man. "I doubt you came for a cup of coffee."

"I came to see if you are still on schedule. The plan has already been put into motion." The man replied, his voice devoid of any warmth.

"I know. I am already on task, despite a few setbacks. Nothing I can't handle."

The man glanced at Donovan with an inquisitive look then returned his attention to the display. The image of the DNA strand was replaced with a full-size Kasumi who was fighting an unseen opponent.

"I fail to see what it is you see in this…_child_." The man stated as he observed the holo-Kasumi with scrutiny.

"Out of all the participants of the Dead or Alive tournament, her genetic make-up is superior to the rest. Thus, her DNA can be used more efficiently to create the perfect bio-weapon." Donovan proudly declared.

"The same bio-weapon that was destroyed in your last tournament?" The man asked with a cocked eyebrow.

The pride in Donovan's face was replaced with shame and rage. He was ashamed that his greatest achievement, Alpha-152, was destroyed. He was also angered by the fact that the real Kasumi destroyed it. To add insult to injury, there were no recordings of the fight. Now Donovan had no way to know what went wrong. There was no way that Kasumi simply beat Alpha-152 outright. Alpha-152 was superior to the original in every aspect. It was faster, stronger, and far more powerful than Kasumi could ever be. The only rational explanation there could be was that Alpha-152 had a flaw, but where? He searched over his records and notes and found no problems. He had to find out what happened.

"What about the others?"

The man's voice snapped Donovan out of his trance of self-dialogue. "What?"

"What about the other participants?" The man said more slowly with a hint of annoyance.

"Oh, them." Donovan finally caught on. "They have potential to become bio-weapons themselves. But, like I said before, Kasumi is superior."

Donovan continued. "As you know, the sole reason we hold the tournament is to scout for possible subjects for our superhuman projects. We give invitations to those who meet our expectations."

The display began to go through the contestants of the tournament. First was Hayate, wearing his white ninja gi. Like Kasumi, he too was fighting an invisible foe. Next was Ayane in her purple shinobi outfit, then Ryu, Jane Lee, and the others.

"I thought the wind ninja was a failure."

"You mean Hayate? Yes he was, but that was due to some…unfortunate circumstances."

Donovan decided that it was not a good idea to let his ally know that a certain former lab assistant sabotaged the project.

"You'll pay for your traitorous acts, Lisa." Donovan mentally promised.

"We only need the ninjas. The rest should be disposed of so they will not interfere."

"NO!" Donovan objected. "They can still be of some use. After all, they can be manipulated to further our plans."

To Donovan, they were still potential subjects. He hated to think that they could be destroyed when he had not been given a chance to experiment on them.

The man watched the images of the fighters go through the display once more before he spoke.

"I suppose we could let them live. But if they become an interference in any way, then I shall deal with them."

Neither man spoke for quite sometime as the hum of machines and computers filled the room. The clone continued to tidy-up Donovan's desk, oblivious to the conversation that was taking place.

Donovan finally decided to break the silence. "Where are our other allies?"

"They are fulfilling their missions." The man calmly replied.

"Do you think we can trust them?"

"They obey me without question, they will retrieve the items." The man then turned his head to meet Donovan's eyes. "If they do betray me, they won't live very long."

Donovan almost shuddered at the man's gaze. He knew his ally was powerful, merciless, and above all efficient. After all, he had dealt with a group of Mugen Tenshin ninjas that was attempting to locate Donovan after his escape from the Tritower.

The man turned on his heel and headed for the exit. The clone stopped what it was doing and politely bowed as the man walked past it. The metal doors opened as the man approached.

"Wait!" Donovan called out.

The man stopped a few inches from the door.

"What is it?" The man asked without turning to look.

"You said you were going to give Dante a 'warm welcome'. While I know what that means, don't we need him alive?"

The man made an amused sound. "I'm sure Dante will be able to deal with what I sent. This is just a way to grab his attention, to perk his curiosity. After all, we cannot allow him to grow bored and quit this game before it fully plays out."

"I see." Donovan was skeptical, but he knew better than to question his ally's decision.

"I'll also make sure that the ninjas are well occupied. After all, they pose the biggest threat."

"I agree." Donovan replied.

"At least I can work undisturbed now." Donovan mentally reminded himself.

The man walked through the doors with ill intent for the ninjas on his mind.

_Downtown Tokyo_

_Japan_

_Saturday-7:46 p.m._

Dante walked down the sidewalk, feeling like a fish out of water. Even in what seemed like an ocean of people, he stuck out like a sore thumb. He was a head taller or more than everyone else. His white hair was in stark contrast to the black and dark brown heads that was as far as he could see. If his height and hair did not draw attention, his long red coat and very large suitcase did. Inside his suitcase was his sword and handguns.

"Wasn't that a fun experience at the airport?" Dante snidely said to himself.

He had to wait almost three hours while he tried to explain the rather large sword and heavily-modified pistols to the boys in security, both in the American and Japanese airports. Fortunately, Donovan managed to clear things up at both airports. Though why it took him three hours to do so eluded Dante.

Dante looked at the piece of paper Enzo gave him when he left, remembering the conversation they had yesterday.

"You goin' to Japan, eh?" Enzo asked.

"That's what the Professor said." Dante replied as he packed.

"Well, I got some good news for ya."

Dante paused to take a deep breath, pushing down the urge to tell him to shut up. "What is it?"

"I know a guy in Japan. He can help you out while you're there AND keep you out of trouble" Enzo said, his face full of smugness.

"Get bent. All I'm doing is playing mailman for some pompous scientist who's too damn lazy to get off his ass and mail one goddamn box, not saving the world from some super-demon or anything."

"Now don't get all cranky on me. Besides, he can give you a place to stay for cheap. He and I go way back. He might get you some more 'interesting' jobs while your there."

Dante went over what Enzo just said, making sure that there was no hidden motive.

"All right, I'll go see him."

"Perfect! Here's the name and address." Enzo said elatedly as he handed him the paper.

"Remember, say I sent'cha when you see him."

"I will." Dante felt like he was promising a child to get him a toy or something.

"Well, see ya Dante. Ciao!"

"I swear he's up to something, but what?" Dante questioned as he looked for the building that matched the Japanese spelled words on the paper.

"Nope, that ain't it. Or that. Man it's crowded around here. That ain't it either. This is stupid. I'll never find this place…Oh wait. There it is."

Dante spotted the building and made his way towards it. That proved difficult, as he had to almost fight his way against the sea of moving bodies.

As Dante reached the door, he took a minute to straighten himself.

"I don't know how people can live like this." Dante said to himself as he opened the door.

Dante looked around as he entered the building. The place was obviously a bar. A bar table was on the right hand side of the building with the bartender behind it, cleaning glasses. Stools lined the front of the table, all of them in bad shape. Some of them had their stuffing popping out. Wooden tables and chairs were scattered across the bar. Like the stools, they were far from being in mint condition. Across from the bar was a raised platform with a metal pole on each end. These were most likely used for the 'live entertainment'.

Dante made his way to the bar table and got the bartenders attention. The bartender was a middle-aged, chubby Japanese man. He was barely over five feet, wore thick glasses, and had a receding hairline. He wore a simple white T-shirt and jeans with a bar apron. He said something in Japanese, a language that Dante had yet to master.

"What?"

The bartender rolled his eyes and repeated what he said in English.

"What do you want?"

His English was understandable, but the obvious Japanese accent made it a bit difficult.

"I'm looking for a Hic…Hak…Hi…um." Dante fumbled with the Japanese name, then decided to just give up on it. "This guy here."

Dante turned the paper he was trying to read from over to the bartender, pointing at a Japanese name.

The bartender only glanced at the paper and said, "The name is Hikaru Hojo. And he's me."

"Oh." Dante took back the paper and looked over it again, wondering why Enzo did not give him a picture of the guy.

"Now what do you want?"

"Enzo sent me. He said…"

"ENZO?!" Hikaru interrupted with disbelief in his voice. "Let me guess, you're here to collect the money I owe him, huh?"

Why Enzo wanted Dante to see the man suddenly became clear.

"I'll be damned if I have to play bill collector too."

"What?" Hikaru asked.

Dante, realizing that he was thinking out loud, shook his head to clear his thoughts.

"Nothing. Look, I'm not here to get Enzo's money. He said you would be able to get me a place for cheap and, preferably, where I'll be undisturbed."

Hikaru set the glass that he was cleaning down and started on a new one.

"Well, since your not here to shake me down for money, I guess you can stay in the upstairs room for, oh I don't know, 200 a night?"

"Yen or American dollars?" Dante asked with a raised eyebrow.

"American." Hikaru replied, never taking his attention off the glass he was cleaning.

"You can kiss my ass! I can get a room in this city for not even half that." Dante yelled with anger laced in his voice.

"Yeah, but that 200 will also get you information and a whole bundle of other goodies."

"Are you coming on to me?" Dante sarcastically asked.

Hikaru gave Dante an annoyed look. "200. Take it or leave it."

Dante had a few thousand on him. Fall back money in case he needed it. He knew he could have a fancy room at a big name hotel, but he was tired from the trip. His attempt to catch some sleep on the plane proved difficult, as he was not used to sleeping in an airline chair.

Dante glanced at the clock. Almost 8.

"Get a room cheap, my ass." Dante grumbled and slammed the 200 dollars on the table.

Hikaru snatched it up and began counting, half-surprised the American accepted.

Hikaru pointed to a door next to the bar table. "Upstairs, first door on your right."

Dante picked up his suitcase. "I don't suppose you have any room service, do you?"

"No. But if you ask real nicely, I might put a mint on your pillow." Hikaru replied with a smirk.

Normally, Dante would make a snide comment, but he was too tired. Instead, he trudged himself upstairs and opened the door.

His "room" was simply that, a small room with a filthy kitchen top, a toilet that had probably never been cleaned, windows that had a sheet of grim covering them, and a rolled out futon that was torn. To top it all off, everything in the room had a fine layer of dust.

Dante made a disgusted sound. "Home, sweet home."

He placed his suitcase on the table and flopped down on the futon. A cloud of dust was released as his body made contact.

"Last time I trust you, Enzo." Dante said.

Dante fell asleep thinking of how the mission was turning out to be the dumbest one to date.

_Kasumi's apartment_

_Japan_

_Saturday-9:25 p.m._

Kasumi watched as her pet fish swam through its tank. She giggled, as the fish would lazily swim from one end of the tank then shoot off like a rocket to the next. Whenever she had trouble sleeping, she would watch her fish swim back and forth, marveling on how such a simple creature could keep her entertained.

Her thoughts continued to change from her school work, to going out with her friends on Sunday, and finally settling on the topic she dreaded the most: her family.

"Hayate." She somberly whispered.

She began to draw shapes and patterns with her finger on the glass of her fish tank. The fish would follow the tip of her finger as she drew, something that amused her every time. But tonight, she was too preoccupied with her thoughts to notice.

She remembered her life as a small child. How she would play with the other children without fear or worry. She was always treated with kindness and respect. The village loved her since she was the only daughter of the clan's 17th leader, Shiden. Now she was a runaway, a traitor. The very people, who once loved her and held her in the highest regard, now sought to kill her.

But she chose this life. Chose to avenge her brother when the village would not. Chose to cast away her title of clan leader. She did it of her own free will, no one else's. She had no one to blame but herself. Yet, that did not help the heartache she felt every time she had to defend herself against her own clan when they struck.

Hayate ordered the attacks because it was his duty to kill all runaways so that the Mujin-Tenshin clan's secrets would remain secret. But was it just his sense of duty that made him send out the assassins? That was the question she asked herself everyday since her brother returned to take his place as clan leader.

"Brother. Do you hate me? Is that why you want me dead?" Her voice quivered, imagining her brother giving out the order for her death, his voice filled with anger and disgust.

She shook her head, wiping away the hate filled image out of her mind.

"No, he doesn't hate me, I can see it in his eyes." A tiny smile formed on her lips that quickly faded.

"Then why doesn't he talk to me about it? Why do we always fight every time we speak? Why?"

Her thoughts quickly scattered as she felt a presence in her room. Her body tensed, her eyes flashed on where she hid her wakizashi. She relaxed, as the presence she felt held no malice or anger. It was calm, collected, and had an air of detachment. She knew who it was that was watching her.

"Hello, Ryu." Kasumi's voice was light and calming.

Ryu, who was leaning on the far wall with his arms crossed, said nothing. He did not have to. She knew him well enough.

"Still looking after me?" She inquired. She continued to doodle on the glass, the fish still chasing after her finger.

"I promised your brother to protect you." Ryu's voice was still calm and cold. But to her, she could sense the warmth of what he said, even if Ryu himself could not.

"My brother wants me dead." Kasumi informed him.

"I know."

Silence filled the room again. Kasumi had stopped doodling. She knew what Ryu meant. He would protect her, even from her brother. And maybe, that was what Hayate wanted.

"Thank you." She said, her voice, barely a whisper.

Once again, Ryu's voice was absent.

To Kasumi, Ryu was the only true friend she had. True, she made friends at her school, but they were unaware of her real life. To them she was plain, simple Kasumi. Ryu knew the real her and still stuck by her side. For that, she was grateful.

"How is everyone?" Kasumi still cared for her people, even when they did not return the feeling.

"I came here to warn you, there are other forces that have come into play."

Kasumi whirled her head around, making eye contact with Ryu. She knew about DOATEC, the ninjas, and the other competitors of the DOA tournament. But now Ryu was telling her about someone or something new.

"A group of your clansmen have been killed. They were after Donovan when he escaped."

Kasumi was horrified to learn of her fellow ninjas' demise, but at the same time she was confused as to how their deaths related to what Ryu said.

Ryu continued before Kasumi could ask.

"One was still alive when the second group found them. The man kept repeating the same thing over and over before he died of his injuries. 'Demon'."

"What does that mean?" Kasumi became worried. She turned her head back to the fish tank, thinking about the many different scenarios that could be happening.

"We don't know, but your brother believes that DOATEC maybe involved. I'll keep you informed."

Before she could respond, Ryu's presence was gone.

Kasumi became silent as she pondered what this new threat could be. She wondered if her brother could handle the predicament.

A smile appeared on her face. "Of course he can. My brother can do anything." Kasumi had absolute faith in her older sibling.

"Well Mr. Fish, I think it's time for bed, I have a busy day tomorrow." Kasumi's voice now sounded like a child's, sweet and innocent.

The fish was too busy exploring his aquarium to notice Kasumi as she returned to bed.

_Hikaru's bar_

_Japan_

_Saturday-10:38 p.m._

Dante's eyes fluttered open as he heard a sound. Sitting up from the old futon, he realized that the sound was originating from downstairs.

"Sounds like Mr. Tourist Trap is moving furniture." He murmured as he lay back down.

Dante closed his eyes as silence filled the room again.

"Wait…bars are never this quiet." he thought to himself.

Dante got back up, listening for anything. The deathly silence went unbroken.

Dante felt…no, he _knew_ something was wrong. He popped open his suitcase to retrieve his handguns. After placing them in their holsters that where behind his back, underneath his coat, he reached for Rebellion. He stopped before his hand touched the hilt. If he was wrong, he could pass off the guns since they were under his coat. A five and a half foot sword would be a tad more difficult to explain.

He went down the stairs and opened the door. The bar was empty and dark. All of the furniture was where it was when he entered, but the people were absent. Even Hikaru was nowhere in sight.

"Hello?" Dante yelled. No answer.

"Anyone here?" Dante took five steps into the bar. He froze when he heard himself step into water. As he looked down he found out that he was wrong. It was not water. It was blood.

Dante had Ivory out in a flash. He scanned the room for hostiles. Nothing. He returned his attention to the blood. He bent down and stuck his finger in the crimson puddle. He than placed his finger in his mouth.

"This is blood alright." He thought as he licked his finger. "Human blood, at that."

Dante stood back up, still thinking to himself.

"If someone was killed, where's the body?"

His train of thought was interrupted as he heard something cutting through air, coming right at him.

Dante used his left foot to push off against the floor. Still on his right leg, he slid a few feet from where he stood. He picked up on the sound of something hitting the wall behind him.

Dante turned to see three throwing stars embedded in the wall. If he had not moved, they would have been lodged in his chest.

Dante snapped his head around with Ivory at the ready. The bar was still empty.

"What the hell?" He muttered as he scratched his head with his free hand.

The alarms in his head went off again, telling him there was something behind him.

He spun around, coming face to face with an armored clad samurai.

The samurai was towering, well over six feet. His armor appeared to be metal and the purest of black. The robes he wore underneath were of a charcoal color. His helmet encased his entire head. There was an elegant V-shaped headpiece attached to the helmet above the opening were the eyes were. His mouthpiece was crafted to look like the mouth of a demon, the teeth engraved on it were pointed and the mouth itself was frozen in a bloody roar. In his hands, he held a katana that emitted a cold-glow.

Dante realized that this was not a man, but a demon. After all, men's eyes do not glow red.

The demon-samurai hefted its sword with two hands and held it over its head, preparing to split the devil hunter down the middle. It never had the chance. Dante leveled Ivory at the demon and fired. The demon's helmet shattered like glass. The sword fell from the demon's grasp and landed on the floor, followed by the limp body of its wielder. Moment's later, thick, black smoke bellowed out from its neck and vanished into the air. The armor boiled away until it too disappeared.

"That was easy." Dante commented as he twirled Ivory around on his finger. He turned around to search for Hikaru.

His search was interrupted before it began as five more demon-samurais blocked his path. Each one removed their sword from its sheath.

With a smirk, Dante brought up Ivory and aimed it at the demon in the center.

"Five more, eh? No problem." Dante was amused at how the demons thought they could kill him.

Dante then became confused as a thought crossed his mind.

"Now, I'm no Japanese culture expert." Dante admitted. "But I'm pretty sure that samurais don't use ninja stars."

As if on cue, Dante saw movement behind the demon-samurais. The shadows began to morph and take on human shape. Dante than realized that it was not the shadows that were moving; instead something was moving _through_ them. Like the shadows were portals or doorways.

The beings that stepped through the shadows had on black clothing, just like the demon-samurais. But their clothes were different. They resembled ninja robes. The demon-ninjas eyes were similar to the demon-samurais, as they glowed a hideous red. While the samurais were huge, these demons appeared to be more average-sized. A majority of them wielded katanas, like the demon-samurais. But there were others who carried more throwing stars.

"Oh, boy." Dante muttered. He counted ten demon-ninjas, and more where still coming from the shadows.

"Oh, give me a break guys." Dante said, regaining his usual cocky attitude. "Ninjas and samurais? That is SO stereotypical. It's like having demon cowboys in America or demon mummies in Egypt. Come on, use some imagination."

The demons said nothing as they slowly advanced on Dante. With a smile and a shrug, Dante walked on over to the jukebox in the corner. The demons froze, expecting an attack. One of the demon ninjas sprang into the air, sailing towards Dante with its katana ready to strike. Before it reached its target, Dante, without looking, pointed Ivory at the demon and fired. The bullet tore through the demon's chest. The force of the impact caused the demon to be thrown back while still in midair. Like the samurai, black smoke erupted from its body as it landed. The ninja robe it wore collapsed, like the body was escaping with the smoke. The clothes it wore disintegrated.

Dante stood in front of the jukebox. He scanned the selection of music while the demons waited, uncertain of what their prey was up to.

"Let's see. Nope. Never heard of them. Not what I was looking for. Ah, here we go."

Dante pressed his selection, turned, and faced his attackers.

"All right! Let's get this party started!" Dante voice was a mixture of excitement and malice.

But something was missing. At first he thought it was that the demons had not attacked yet. Then he realized the jukebox was still silent.

He turned back to the jukebox and pressed his selection again. Still nothing.

"Oh not you, too." He moaned. "The one I got gives me enough trouble."

Dante, who was far from being a patient man, grew frustrated and gave the machine a swift kick. The jukebox light up and its inner mechanisms could be heard whirring away as it processed its abusive users selection.

A smile spread across Dante's face as Aerosmith blared forth from its speakers. Bobbing his head to the beat of the music, Dante spun around and dashed towards his foes.

He quickly holstered Ivory as he came upon one of the demon-samurais. The demon hesitated at the sudden approach of its target, a mistake that would cost him dearly. With his last step, Dante sprang forward, slamming his fist into the side of the demons helmet. The body weight of Dante coupled with his inhuman strength caused a portion of the helmet to break off. Dante unleashed three more punches before kicking the demon away. The demon flew back with fist-shaped dents in its armor, heading for three demon-ninja. Two of them leapt away, the third reacted too slowly and was plowed over by the larger being. Both exploded in a cloud of dark smoke.

The demon-samurai that was now closest swung its sword horizontally, attempting to behead the devil-hunter. Dante leaned away, curving his back until the sword past over his body, missing him by mere inches. Using the momentum, Dante preformed a back flip and landed on a demon-ninja that was attempting a sneak attack from behind.

Still standing on the body of the demon-ninja, Dante reached behind him and returned Ivory to the battlefield with its darker twin, Ebony. Dante than looked down at the creature he was standing on.

"Time to go for a ride, little man." Dante mocked. With a kick to the floor, the helpless demon slid across the bar, spinning at the same time with Dante still onboard.

Dante let loose a delighted yell as he bodysurfed the demon, firing his guns in random directions. A few of the bullets were clean misses. The other shots, however, found their mark. One bullet blew off a ninja-demons arm. Another removed its head. A handful of ninja-demons fell where they stood as black smoke poured out of their wounds. One of the demon-samurais was unlucky enough to be in the way of three bullets. Two bullets bounced off its breastplate, the third ruptured its helmet. The demon fell over, soon all trace of it went up in smoke.

Dante noticed that he was about to run out of floor as he and his makeshift demon board approached the opposite end of the room. He leapt from the demon as it crashed, head first, into a wall. A puff of smoke later, and it was no more.

Dante landed in the middle of a circle of demon-ninjas, all of them ready to attack.

"All right, this is more like it!" Dante yelled, still ecstatic over the fight. Dante reloaded his handguns in an instant and pointed each one at opposite sides of the circle.

Before they could commence with the assault, the three surviving demon-samurais marched over to the circle. Two of the ninja-demons stepped aside to allow them through.

"Three on one, eh? Why don't we even the odds and have your shorter friends join in too. But then again, even that won't be enough." Dante's smile was almost from ear to ear.

The three demons circled Dante, each one with blade at the ready.

"Better make this fast. I'm good, but I can't see everywhere at once." Dante thought.

The three demons stopped their circling and rushed towards Dante.

Using the barrels of his handguns, Dante deflected one of the swords. He sidestepped the second attacker and snapped a sidekick at the third, causing the demon to stumble back.

The first demon brought the sword back, preparing to impale the hunter. The second spun around and ran back into the fight. The third regained its footing and advanced on Dante. Dante managed to get off two more rounds. One round caught the second demon in its metal forehead, the momentum the demon had caused it to take three more steps before falling over in a cloud of smoke. The other punctured the third demons throat. The creature dropped to its knees as smoke shot out of the hole. It clawed at its throat before it crumpled over and ceased to be. The first demon, however, escaped Dante's wrath and thrust its sword forward.

Dante turned his attention to the demon too late. The katana cut into Dante, impaling him with such great force that the tip of the sword emerged from his back. Dante's arms and head went limp, his body only held up by the sword and its owner.

A hoarse laugh echoed through the demon's helmet as it used its left hand to retrieve the short sword that was still attached to its belt. The demon held the sword up to its left side, just above its shoulder, ready to behead the white-haired hunter. Before it could perform its deed, Dante's left arm shot up, pressed the barrel of Ebony to the demons head, and squeezed the trigger.

".45 caliber brain surgery." Dante said with a smile. The demon crumpled over and joined its fallen brothers.

He looked around the room. The circle of demon ninjas still remained.

"So, who's next?" Dante inquired with open arms.

The ninjas stood still for a brief moment before stepping back into the shadows. The room became empty again.

"Just when I was getting warmed up." Dante muttered as he made his way towards the bar table.

Dante whipped Ivory back up as he heard whimpering coming from behind the table.

"Unless you want a second asshole, I suggest you come out!" Dante bellowed with menace.

Hikaru emerged, his shaking hands held up. Sweat was pouring down from his face.

"D…don't shoot! P…please!" Hikaru whined.

With an irritated huff, Dante plopped down on the table and placed Ebony back into its holster. "Don't piss yourself, baldy. Just gimme a drink."

Dante noticed that Hikaru's gaze was focused on his stomach. Dante looked down and saw that the demon's sword was still implanted in his gut. With a sigh, he pulled it out and tossed it aside.

"Drink?" Dante reminded him.

Hikaru snapped out of his hypnotic gaze and brought out a glass bottle that was half-full from under the table.

"Here. Best stuff I got." Hikaru's voice was still shaky as he grabbed a nearby drinking glass.

Dante snatched the bottle from his hand. He removed the top with his teeth and took a swig.

"I've had better." Dante said with a snort.

Hikaru put the glass back and looked around the bar. Most of the tables and chairs were destroyed during the fight. The walls were riddled with bullet holes. Spent shell casings littered the floor. The jukebox, which had fallen silent, had a large dent where Dante kicked it.

What sounded like the cry of a small animal dying escaped from his mouth.

"YOU DESTROYED MY BAR!!" Disbelief and anger were laced in his words.

Hikaru quickly clamed up when he felt a gun barrel pressing into his forehead.

"Your awfully whiny for someone who got his ass saved." Dante hissed, pressing Ivory harder to make his point.

Hikaru forced a smile and his voice was filled with fear once more.

"Hey, now. No need to get all-defensive, buddy. I'm just saying that I'm sure you could have taken those thugs down without…you know…taking half my bar with them."

Dante continued to give Hikaru a death glare as he lowered Ivory. Hikaru let out a relieved sigh and tried to compose himself.

"What the fuck _were_ those things?" Hikaru gasped out.

Dante looked over the damage he and the demons had done and took another drink.

"I think I've heard of them. But I've never seen them, so I'm not sure. The big ones are called 'Damned Samurais' if I recall. The others in pajamas are called 'Damned Ninjas'. As you can see, neither of them is of the friendly variety."

"What did they want? Why did they attack my bar?" Hikaru was starting to break down.

"I'm not sure." Dante smirked as he brought the bottle back to his lips. "But this mission just got interesting."


	3. burning memories

A/N: I have redone chap 3. I was unaware of Aileen's death so I correct a problem. And I call myself a Dead or Alive fan (bashes head on computer). Oh well, at least I caught it now. So enjoy and R&R please!

Disclaimer: DMC owned by Capcom. DOA and Ninja Gaiden owned by Team NINJA and Tecmo. I own nothing, nada, zip.

Chapter 3. Let's try this again.

**Dead or Alive 4: The Devil Factor**

**Chapter 3-Burning Memories**

_Two miles south of the Mugen Tenshin Clan Village_

_Japan_

_Saturday-9:44 p.m._

Nighttime had long since fallen on the forest that surrounded the Mugen Tenshin Village. Moonlight filtered through the trees in an attempt to illuminate the forest floor. An owl, perched upon a branch, watched calmly over the darkness, trying to spot an evening meal. The nocturnal predator whirled its head around as its acute senses detected a sound coming toward it. Acting on instinct, the owl stretched out its wings and took off into the night sky. Seconds later, a certain super-ninja landed on the branch only to have leapt forward to the next.

Ryu, the black-leather clad ninja, raced to the Mugen Tenshin Clan Village, effortlessly dashing from tree to tree. The Dragon Sword securely fastened to his back and numerous shuriken strapped to his legs, Ryu was prepared to face an attack at any moment. His mind, however, was not on possible battles that could happen, but on a runaway shinobi.

Ryu once promised to watch over the young Kasumi and make sure she was safe. He would keep that promise no matter what. At first, he accepted because his long-time friend, Hayate, asked him to. However, as he spent time with Kasumi, he felt a certain kinship with her. Perhaps it was that they had a similar predicament. Both could never be with their families again. She was a runaway and he lost his village long ago. Then there was the fact that she was the little sister of Hayate. Friends tend to feel the same brotherly protectiveness over each other's younger siblings. But, there could be another reason.

He could be falling in love.

"No. You're looking after her because you were asked to."

Ryu had told that to himself many times. He could not fall in love with her. The last time he let someone into his life, she was snatched away, killed because she was close to him. Aileen paid the price for loving him.

But Ryu could not deny the light-hearted feeling he got when he saw Kasumi, he also could not go against the lifetime of training and dedication he had put into himself. He had to put his personal feelings aside, which was a rule all ninja had to obey.

"But, perhaps…someday…"

Ryu's train of thought quickly stopped as he came into the clearing where the village resided. What he saw brought back horrid images of his past.

The Mugen Tenshin Village was burning.

Half the village was in flames. Smoke billowed toward the sky, creating a dark cloud above the village, an ominous warning to the souls below of the peril they were in. The outer walls of the village, the protection they had offered, were smashed, torn down, and set ablaze. Ryu could hear the faint sounds of battle, swords clashing against each other, people's cries as they tried to flee their homes, and the terrified screams of men and women dying.

"No! Not again!" Ryu thought.

He sprung from the tree branch and raced toward the village with all his might, praying, pleading to whatever god that was listening that this time he would not be too late.

_Mugen Tenshin Clan Village_

_Japan_

_Saturday-9:40 p.m._

Hayate, clad in his green and black ninja gi, raced into the village, cursing at how he was taken off guard. He had been training the newest additions to his clan in the woods when he saw the smoke filling the sky over his home.

"Damn it! I knew DOATEC would try to attack us, but not this soon!"

Hayate found a small group of his ninja near a building that had been spared from the flame. Two ninjas were tending the wounds of a villager while the female shinobi stood as look out on top of the structure. All three looked like they had been through hell and back.

"Master Hayate!" The ninjas said in unison, happy to see their leader return with his trainees.

"What's going on?" The black mask covering the lower part of his face muffled Hayate's voice. But the ninjas could easily detect the anger in his tone. His home was being destroyed and he wanted to know by whom.

"We…we are not sure, master." One of the ninjas sheepishly replied.

"The fires just suddenly sprang up. When we tried to put them out, these…THINGS! They ambushed us. There were so many." The second ninja attempted to explain, but was too vague.

"What, _things_?" Hayate asked with irritation. He understood that the ninjas were frightened and confused. They were only christened as ninjas a few weeks ago. But he needed answers, and he needed them now!

"Demons, master." The female shinobi answered, her voice was cold and strict. She had been a shinobi for many years and showed it through her efficiency and her professional attitude.

"Demons?" Hayate was flabbergasted. That was what the deranged survivor of the ill-fated tracking group he sent after Donovan kept repeating before he died. He thought the man was just scared out of his wits, but it seemed he was speaking the truth.

"Yes, master. They struck while we were preoccupied with the fires. We do not know how many there are or what it is they are after."

Hayate had a feeling of what they wanted, his clan's destruction.

"Where is everyone?"

"The villagers that got out are hiding in the caves, as we had practiced. A small group of ninja has been sent with them as protection. The others are attempting to push back the invaders and look for survivors."

Hayate nodded. This is what he had trained the villagers and ninjas to do incase of an attack. He never thought that it would actually happen, but a ninja was always prepared. At least they were supposed to.

"The fortress?" Hayate asked. The ninja fortress they used as a base of operations was on the other side of the mountains. It was placed there in order to conceal it from view.

"No word of them."

Hayate cursed under his breath. He needed to know if the fortress could spare more ninja or if they were under attack themselves.

"Master Hayate!" A small female voice took his attention. He looked up to find Ayane in her purple shinobi body suit and a larger group of ninja.

"Ayane." Hayate breathed. Good. That was one family member accounted for.

The violet haired shinobi leaped down, the group of ninja took various points around the area, setting up a larger perimeter.

"We have found a number of villagers and sent them to the caves with escorts." She reported. Her voice then became somber. "Some were in a bad way, others…"

She trailed off. He knew that some of the villagers and ninjas would be dead, but he could not dwell on that now.

"Where's Ryu?"

"No one has seen him since yesterday."

"Probably checking up on my traitorous bitch of a half-sister." Ayane bitterly thought to herself.

Hayate's thoughts were different than those of his hate-filled sibling. He needed Ryu here, but he could not afford to send anyone to find him, he needed every ninja and shinobi he had.

"I hope you get here soon, friend." Hayate mentally pleaded.

"All right. Ayane, you take these three and head to the fortress." He motioned to the two ninja and the shinobi he came across earlier. "Find out their current situation, help if they need it."

"Yes, Master."

"You two, take this man to the caves and aid the villagers if need be." He pointed to two of his trainees. Both nodded in reply.

"The rest of you, come with me. We are going to search for more survivors and drive out these vile creatures."

"As you command." They replied.

"Let us show these hell-spawn the power the Mugen Tenshin ninja posses!"

_Outskirts of the Mugen Tenshin Clan Village_

_Japan_

_Saturday-9:45 p.m._

Ryu made his way to one of the destroyed outer walls. He paused to examine the damage, hopefully to determine what type of enemy he would face. The walls looked like an explosive device of some sort blew them apart. An explosive device meant a military weapon, which could also mean DOATEC. Its private security force was practically an army.

Ryu looked up as a large, metal boot crushed a piece of blackened wood that was once part of the mighty wall. The being that now stood before him was a large samurai.

"Definitely not DOATEC. At least not them, directly." He thought.

Ryu was shocked and somewhat impressed that such a lumbering brute could have approached him without him noticing. The dragon-ninja recognized the creature, a Damned Samurai. He had dealt with these things before, so he knew their weakness.

The creature took off towards Ryu with sword in hand, preparing to strike. Its ninja prey leaped forward. Ryu vanished in thin air, leaving behind a transparent after-image of himself. He appeared behind the black metal-clad demon, the Dragon sword firmly in his hand.

The creature was still, its sword still over its head. Then, the demon's head popped up like a champagne cork, dark smoke billowing out its gaping neck. The helmet fragmented when it hit the ground. The body fell over and dissolved into nothing.

Ryu stood and sheathed his sword. The Flying Swallow technique was simple, quick, and lethal, an invaluable attack. Ryu had other attacks and Ninpo techniques at his disposal, but sometimes quick and simple were better than flashy and powerful.

Ryu's gaze fell over the burning village, he had to do something. He could go after the leader. Destroying him, her, or it would break the command structure of the demons. However, last time he tried that…

"No, I must find Hayate. We'll be able to save the village _and_ drive out the demons." Ryu whispered.

Before Ryu could move, he felt like he was being watched. He looked around and found dark robed ninjas standing on rooftops. At first, he thought they were Mugen Tenshin ninjas. Their glowing-red eyes told Ryu a different story.

"I have no time for you, creatures of darkness. BEGONE!" Ryu roared as he unsheathed the Dragon Sword.

_Mugen Tenshin Clan Village Center_

_Japan_

_Saturday-9:50 p.m._

Ayane and her small group raced through the village. So far they had only encountered a few of the demons that resembled samurai and ninja. The lavender haired youth's thoughts were clear and precise, concentrating on the mission she was given, not to her home burning around her.

She came to a stop as she saw a demon ninja clashing swords with a male ninja barely taller than herself. The human ninja appeared to be having difficulty keeping pace with the demon as he could only deflect the sword swipes, unable to launch a counterattack of his own.

Ayane motioned to her group to continue on, she would aid the ninja. The two ninja and shinobi nodded and ran towards the fortress. It would take them at least a few minutes to reach the fortress, plenty of time for her to catch up.

The ninja attempted to retaliate, but the demon knocked the sword out of his hands. With a leg sweep, the human ninja fell to the ground. The demon stood over its fallen foe, preparing to impale the hapless mortal. The ninja squeezed his eyes shut, unable to look Death in the eye. He heard a sound, like something small flying quickly through the air, followed by a thud.

He cracked open an eye to investigate. The demon was no longer standing, but slumped on the ground. A kunai firmly implanted into the back of its skull, black smoke spewing out.

"Wh…what?"

"You ok?"

The ninja turned his head to the origin of the female voice. When he looked into Ayane's eyes the ninja seemed paralyzed, as if her very presence mystified him.

"Hey! I asked you if you're all right." Ayane said as she nudged him with her foot. She was in a hurry and did not want to waste time with a terrified ninja.

"Huh? O…oh, yeah. I'm…fine." The ninja replied as he struggled to get up. His voice was young and docile. She suspected that he was new to the clan, possible not even a trainee yet.

"Good." She said with a huff.

She contemplated on whether to send the defeated ninja to the caves or have him tag along. She needed as many ninja as she could get at the moment. On the other hand, the boy would probably be more harm than help. From what she saw during the fight, he lacked any real talent as a ninja. Not to mention the fact that he looked like a scrawny child.

"It is good to see you again, Mistress Ayane." The ninja said as he respectfully bowed.

"Mistress?!" Ayane thought with surprise. No one had ever called her with a respectful title, let alone 'Mistress'. No one except…

"Yuri?" She inquired.

Yuri removed his ninja hood to reveal his face. He looked just as Ayane always remembered. His chestnut colored hair was long, as it almost covered his eyes. His face sported a genuine smile of bliss and gratitude, as if her very presence pleased him. He was Ayane's age and was rather small, as he was only a few inches taller than her.

While he looked as ordinary as any other boy in the village, there was one physical difference that separated him from the rest, his emerald green eyes. No other villager had those color eyes. Many believed that Yuri had some Western blood in him from his descendents. Ayane was surprised at herself at how she did not recognize him when she first saw his eyes.

"I must be losing my touch if I can't even notice someone's eye color." She mused to herself.

"Still saving me, I see. I owe you my life yet again." Yuri sounded as if he was proud of the fact that he was rescued by an outcast girl. But Ayane knew what he was talking about and why he sounded enthused.

Several years back, Yuri and some of his friends left the confines of the village to play in the woods. Somehow, Yuri fell into a nearby river. Since Yuri did not know how to swim at the time, he splashed around violently, trying to keep afloat as the current swept him away. She was training with her adopted father, Genra, when she saw the helpless lad. His friends were too far down the stream to offer help as the strong current moved the boy too quickly for the others to catch up. As if on instinct, Ayane ran down the riverbank, moving ahead of Yuri. She leapt into the rushing waters and moved to intercept him as he came barreling towards her. After grabbing on to him, she swam with all her might towards dry land.

Ever since that day, Yuri has been on a quest for her heart. He tried to talk to her, but she always brushed him off. He then tried to wash her clothes for her. She scolded him on how he was a pervert for touching her underwear. When that did not succeed he cooked food for her, cleaned her hut, and did everything he could to get her attention. His friends would tease him, asking who would be the wife and who would be the husband if they wed. Ayane failed to see the humor in that joke, although she did admit that Yuri was acting a bit too feminine.

Then something caught her attention.

"Why are you wearing those clothes? You're not a ninja. Hell, you never wanted to be."

"Oh, these? They belonged to…my brother." His voice fell when he mentioned his older sibling. "They were the robes he wore when he was trainee."

Ayane remembered his older brother, Akira. He was a fine example of a ninja. Even though he seemed emotionless, he did love his family. He was hard on Yuri, but she knew he wanted the best for him. He was also one of the unfortunate ones who did not come back from the Tritower attack.

"Oh." Ayane murmured. She was never good at consoling people. But she knew what it was like to lose a family member. She shook her head, reminding herself of the mission she was on.

"Yuri, I need you go to the caves, ok? Just like the village practiced." Ayane pointed in the general direction of the designated hiding spot.

"No."

"What?!" Ayane was shocked. Yuri _never_ disobeyed her.

"I can't! I won't! I am not going to hide in a cave like a scared child while these monsters destroy my home!" He spat. His face contorted in anger and rage.

Ayame was taken aback. Yuri sounded angry. No. He sounded _furious_. This was not the same Yuri she knew. Yuri was quiet, bashful, and meek. He was not someone who would do something so dangerous, even if he were threatened.

Ayane noticed tears welling up in his eyes.

"My big brother did not die just so his village could burn to the ground!" He choked out.

It all came falling into place. Even the most polite, gentle, and caring individual could turn into someone ready to fight and die when a love one was lost.

Ayane glanced in the direction to where the fortress was, then to the direction of the caves, then back to Yuri.

"I know I'm going to regret this." Ayane sighed.

"Huh? Did you say something, Mistress Ayane?" Yuri asked. His voice returning to the docile youth she knew.

"Listen up. I'm going to the fortress to check on its situation. YOU can come with me." She said as she pointed at him.

"R…really?" Yuri gasped. He could not believe that she was allowing him to join her.

"BUT, on one condition." She held up her hand and indicated the number one with her index finger.

"You are going to do _exactly_ what I say. No arguments. No whining. No bullshit whatsoever. Got it?" Ayane poked Yuri in the chest to emphasize her point.

"Of course! Anything you say, Mistress Ayane." Yuri said with a bewildered smile.

"Good." She briefly considered ordering him to stop calling her by that title. But the truth of the matter was she was starting to enjoy it.

"Now that that's settled, let's move." She declared.

After Yuri retrieved his dropped sword, both teens raced towards the fortress.

_Mugen Tenshin Clan Village_

_Japan_

_Saturday-9:55 p.m._

Hayate and his group had finished dealing with their fifth group of Damned Samurai and Damned Ninja. So far they had not taken any loses, but the constant fighting had begun to take its toll. He could tell just by a glance that his ninjas were physically and mentally exhausted. No warriors, no matter how well trained and experienced, could fight indefinitely. To make matters worse, no matter how many demons they killed, more appeared to take their place. It was as if there was an endless supply of these things, just waiting to attack.

No matter. He would fight these abominations and he would win.

With a quick hand gesture, he motioned for his group to keep moving. So far they had yet to encounter anyone, except the demons. They had to make sure that all the villagers were out before they could launch a proper offensive. Right now, all they could do was defend themselves against their assailants. The demons had the element of surprise and superior numbers. Not a good combination for an enemy to have.

As he led his group further into the village, his mind briefly wondered to his sisters. He knew Ayane could take care of herself, but these demons fought with mindless ferocity. He was sure Kasumi would be out of harm's way, but he did not know if these things sought only his village's destruction, or his entire clan. If it were the latter, they would go after her next if he failed.

No. He would not fail. He would win and ensure that swift justice would be brought upon DOATEC. He was certain that Donovan and his despicable organization were behind this.

He saw a clearing up ahead. An open space between the houses and various buildings that where used for storage. He landed in the center of the clearing, his group appearing behind him. He felt something here. Something dark. But he could not comprehend what.

Suddenly, the doors to the homes and buildings burst open. Damned Ninja and Damned Samurai poured out, quickly surrounding Hayate and his group. Instinctively, he and the other ninja crouched to a fighting position.

"A trap! I should have known." Hayate cursed, ashamed that he be taken in by such an obvious trick.

His group was surrounded, outnumbered by the seemingly infinite number of unholy creatures that horrendously resembled the honorable warriors of his country's past.

He and his ninja knew how to fight against an enemy with superior numbers. But that involved stealth and surprise. Hit and run tactics. The current situation denied them that luxury.

Hayate slowly unsheathed his sword, preparing to defend against the horde of demons. If he and his group could strike first, they could cause a bit of a panic to allow his group to slip away during the confusion, regroup, and retaliate.

Before he could give the order, he saw someone standing on top of the tallest building in the immediate area. At first glance, he thought it was another Damned Samurai. But as he studied the creature, he noticed key differences. The being's armor was dark purple instead of black. Its robes were blood red instead of grey. Its deep violet helmet was enclosed around the creature's entire head, save for two openings for its eyes, which glowed a sickly yellow. Two battle flags were attached to its back. A design of an oni, a Japanese devil, devouring mortals was woven on each one. A pair of katana was strapped to its belt. Grasped tightly in its right hand was a deadly looking three-pronged pike. It vaguely resembled a shogun.

"Is it the leader?" Hayate mentally wondered.

The creature made a few hand gestures. The Damned Ninja moved back as the Damned Samurai moved forward, creating an encircling wall of metal armor and swords. As one, the samurai moved slowly toward Hayate and his ninja group.

"Definitely the leader." If anyone could have seen his face, they would have witnessed a smirk. Something Hayate rarely did. It was basic tactics to go after the leader. To kill the snake, you crush its head.

"I'm going after their commander, the rest of you keep these things occupied." He barked.

"Understood, Master." One of the ninja replied.

He ran toward the demon shogun and leapt into the air before he hit the slowly advancing line of demons. One samurai took a swing at him when he came close, but missed. He landed on the rooftop a few yards away from his target.

He turned towards the monstrosity and returned to his battle stance. The Damned Shogun slowly turned to face the wind ninja. It whirled its pike over its head and brought it down in an attack stance.

Neither combatant moved for several seconds, each one waiting for the others opening move. Hayate dashed towards his demonic opponent, appearing as a green streak to the naked eye. His footsteps rang on the tile rooftop at a machinegun speed.

With pike in hand, the demon also pounded into battle with the Mugen Tenshin ninja. It was slower than its human adversary, but the crashing sound of its steps hinted at its enormous weight and power.

Hayate leaped into the air, holding his sword over his head. The shogun raised its pike in a defensive stance, preparing to block the sword.

When he was within range, Hayate reached out and grasped the pike by the pole. Using it as a brace, he flung himself towards the behemoth, slamming feet first into its armored chest.

The demon stumbled back, trying to regain its balance. Hayate rushed the demon, denying it the opportunity to retaliate. He slashed at the beast, attempting to cut the demon in half with one strike. However, when his sword made contact with the shogun's armor, it skidded off with a metallic ring.

The Damned Shogun swung its pike around, attempting to bash aside the ninja. Hayate saw the attack and crouched low, the weapon whizzed over his head. Uncoiling his legs, the green clad ninja sprang into a back flip, the heels of his feet bashed into the creature's armored jaw.

The juggernaut fell, the tiled roof underneath groaned at the sudden increase of weight in one spot. Hayate landed and dove towards his fallen foe, attempting to stab his sword into the demon's head.

The demonic shogun had other intentions. It sat up from its prone position and seized the ninja. It's armored gauntlet encasing the ninja's head. The demon stood and began to tighten its hold, crushing the ninja leader's skull. Hayate struggled, lashing out with his feet while attempting to break the Damned Shogun's death grip with his hands, one of which still held his sword. His kicks proved useless, as he had no leverage to do any real damage, he was also striking at the demon's armor that was strong enough to withstand his sword attacks.

Inspiration struck Hayate, as he remembered that the armor did not cover _all_ of its wearer's body. With his free hand, he quickly searched the being's arm until he found a spot. He plunged his sword into its elbow joint, the section where the armor was absent. The shogun howled in pain, its inhuman voice echoing inside its helmet. Its grip, however, did not loosen. Instead, it reared back and threw the ninja into the air.

Hayate suddenly found himself not only free from the shogun's clutches, but now tumbling through the sky. He attempted to right himself, but the momentum he had became counteractive. He crashed onto the roof of the next building. Tile broke and crumbled underneath him. He quickly scrambled to his feet and tried to find his enemy. The shogun was no longer on the roof of the building they had been battling on. He caught something overhead and turned his gaze upward. The Damned Shogun was in midair, leaping towards the rooftop Hayate now occupied.

It landed on the opposite side of the rooftop, the tile underneath turning into rubble, the roof itself let out a low moaning sound as it tried to accommodate for the creatures weight. As it stood to its full height, Hayate notice something sticking out of the demon's arm.

"My sword! I must have let go of it when the thing threw me!" He mentally berated himself.

The armored giant took notice of wind ninja's gaze. It grabbed the sword, yanked it out, and threw it over the roof's edge.

Hayate internally winced. His sword proved to be the only weapon he had that could hurt the accursed thing. He had to think of something quick.

He noticed something pouring out of the wound on the demon's arm. It was not smoke, as it was falling, not rising. It looked like…sand.

"No wonder this creature is heavy." Hayate thought.

"With all that extra weight to throw around, he could do some serious damage." Hayate continued his internal dialogue as he resumed his fighting stance. An idea popped into his head.

The demon spun its pike around once and pointed it at the ninja, goading him to attack.

"You will pay for your crimes, demon." Hayate declared coldly.

The ninja raced forward. With focus and determination, he would win this fight.

_One mile west of Mugen Tenshin Clan Ninja Fortress_

_Japan_

_Saturday-10:01 p.m._

"I knew I was going to regret this."

Ayane once again mentally reminded herself of the promise she mentioned when she chose to let Yuri come with her. With him tagging along, she had to run on the ground instead of using the trees as a source of transportation. Instead of catching up with her group, she was lagging behind. They were probably at the fortress already.

She looked behind her. Yuri was barely keeping pace. He did not replace his ninja hood, so she could see his face becoming beet red. His breath was ragged as he huffed and puffed, trying to keep up with Ayane. To make matters worse, she had to slow down so she would not lose him.

"Oh, to hell with this." She muttered. She had her orders and no one, not even Yuri, would keep her from accomplishing her mission.

She stopped and turned to Yuri. After a few more steps, he came to a halt in front of her. He bent over, using his arms to support himself on his knees. He gasped for breath, as Ayane looked him over.

"He won't make it another yard, let alone a mile." Ayane mentally criticized.

"Is…something wrong…Mistress…Ayane?" Yuri's speech became as irregular as his breathing.

"Yes, there is." She stated with her hands on her hips. "You're slowing me down."

"I'm…sorry…Mistress…I'll…"

"Stay here and wait for my return." Ayane finished. Although she doubted that was what he was going to say when she interrupted him.

Yuri looked up at her with hurt and confusion. "But…"

"What did I say when I told you could come along?" Ayane reminded him.

Yuri looked at the ground in defeat. He understood.

"Look, just stay here and hide, ok? I'll be back shortly." Ayane tried to sound compassionate, but her voice decided to be stuck on ice-cold.

"I will, Mistress Ayane." She could sense the guilt and embarrassment coming off him. He probably felt like a fool for thinking he could be helpful.

She leapt up onto a nearby tree branch and took off, moving at a blinding speed as she made her way to the fortress.

"I know he feels bad. But this is not a game. He's safer back there than with me anyway." Ayane told herself.

While she did not love Yuri like he loved her, she did like the boy despite his annoying tendencies. He was the closest thing to a friend that she had. She knew that she should have sent him to the caves, but it was too late to do so now.

Once again, she found herself contemplating over things that did not matter at the moment. She reorganized her thoughts, focusing on the mission at hand.

Soon, she saw the towering Mugen Tenshin Clan Fortress coming into view. It was well hidden in the mountain. Centuries ago, the Mugen Tenshin Clan had carved huge sections of rock and stone out of the mountain, allowing the large fortress to be placed almost _inside_ the rocky formation. The building itself was a masterpiece in its own right, but what really made it special were the many hidden entry ways and the secret hold that they used to store certain relics and items that were too special and/or dangerous to keep in the village.

She had seen the fortress many times, and it still intrigued her on to how her clan's descendants managed to dig into a mountain without it collapsing.

"Well, at least it's not on fire." Ayane mused.

Indeed, the fortress had been touched by the flames that were consuming the village. However, she could not see if anyone was there, alive or otherwise. A mighty wooden wall surrounded the outside of the fortress that was not inside the mountain.

With a few quick leaps, she reached the top of a tree that towered over the walls. What she saw almost made her cry out in disbelief.

Demons were everywhere.

Damned Ninja stood guard over many of the secret passages that lead into the fortress, although she could see some that were left alone. Perhaps they had not found all of them. Other demon ninja stood on top of the many roofs and structures within the confines of the wall, searching for any human prey. Damned Samurai were guarding the main entrance, some patrolled along the inner wall. She saw others simply standing in random spots, constantly scanning the area. She counted well over eighty demons, and she suspected more were inside the fortress as well.

She spotted a large bonfire in the middle of the newly made demon encampment. There were…things inside the fire. She could not make them out. There was wood and timber taken from some of the destroy buildings within the fortress walls, but there was something else.

The main doors in the fortress wall opened, she moved around in her position trying to see with out being seen.

Five Damned Samurai marched in, three of them carrying loads. She squinted to see what they were.

"Oh…Gods." She mewed sickly.

One samurai had a corpse of a Mugen Tenshin ninja hefted over its shoulder. She could barely make out the cuts and gashes that were all over the body. Another samurai was dragging a headless body behind it; the missing appendage was tucked under its other arm. The last demon carried the body of a female shinobi in both arms, the woman's head bent at an odd angle.

She instantly recognized the unfortunate clan members. It was her group she sent on ahead when she saved Yuri.

Ayane watched in horror as the demons marched toward the bonfire, tossed the bodies into the flame, then returned to the woods, looking for more stray ninja. She now knew what the strange objects in the fire were.

Ayane placed a hand over her mouth as she felt sickness take over her stomach. Many different emotions churned within her. She felt horrified at how the demons simply disposed of her fellow ninja like trash. She felt disbelief at how the Mugen Tenshin Clan was systematically being destroyed. She felt bitter hatred over the despicable creatures that were implementing this mass-murder. And she felt anger towards Yuri.

"If that wimp only did what he was told! I could have been there! I could have stopped this!" Her mind raced.

Her body shook as rage filled her senses. She had been an outcast, but she did not want to see the Mugen Tenshin Clan go out in flames. Not while her brother was their leader.

The thought of Hayate calmed her. She always admired him. Except for Yuri and Genra, he was the only man who respected her. When she was young, he treated her like a sister, before he even knew they are actually related. Even now, he still treated her with honor and respect, even though she was an outcast, a Hajin Mon ninja that would forever be subservient to the Tenjin Mon ninja that ruled the Mugen Tenshin Clan.

She cleared her thoughts and pushed her feelings to the side. Her task, once again, came back into her mind. She had to find out if there were survivors.

She leapt from the treetop and landed behind a structure that hid her from view. She dashed past the patrolling samurai and entered the fortress through one of the secret entrances that the demons missed.

With shadowing stealth, she scoured the fortress, quickly searching every room as she made her way up the tower, evading Damned Samurai patrols and guards.

She was on the tenth floor when she heard a faint whisper.

She pressed herself onto a wall and froze. The hallway she was currently in was dark. Some of the candles that where used to light the hallways and rooms were either knocked over or had already burned out. She heard the whisper again.

A door nearby slowly slid open. A hand poked through and gestured her in before receding back inside.

Ayane looked around, seeing if there were any demons nearby. Satisfied that the hallway was vacant of the foul beings, she blurred toward the door and dove in. The Hajin Mon ninja tucked and rolled as soon as she hit the floor, the door behind her slid shut. Not a sound was made during her quick entrance.

She remained crouched, a hand grasping a kunai as she scanned the dark room, seeing if she had found a fellow clansman or if she had fallen prey to a trap.

A male dressed in ninja gi was near the door. He had it open a crack to check the hall, ensuring that no demon had seen the purple haired kunoichi. Satisfied that they had not been seen, he turned his attention to Ayane, but kept his place near the doorway.

"Ayane. I take it you have come to check on the fortress, yes?" The man asked. His voice was mature but not old.

Her eyes finally adjusted to the darkness. The man was clad in dark blue ninja robes. Small pieces of padded black armor were securely fastened to his arms and legs. A katana and short sword were strapped to his back. A few streaks of grey stood out of his chocolate hair, showing his age. The lower half of his face was hidden behind a mask, but his eyes were exposed. They were hardened with discipline and age, yet still had warmth, like the eyes of an older brother or father. As she studied his eyes, she noticed a certain familiarity to them. Her own eyes widen as she realized who she was looking at.

"Master Shiden?"

The ninja pulled down the mask, exposing his identity. He was indeed the 17th leader of the Mugen Tenshin Clan and father to Hayate and Kasumi.

"Unfortunately we have no time for pleasantries at the moment. Did Hayate send you?" His voice was stern and calm. Despite the desperate situation around him, he seemed to emit a sense of control around him. Just like a leader should.

"Yes." She replied. "The village is under siege. He sent me here to see if the Fortress's was spared from the attacks."

"Well, as you can see, we are in a similar predicament." No humor was present in his voice.

"How did this…?"

"There is no time for explanations." Shiden interrupted, his mind clearly focused on the problem at hand.

"Yes, of course." Ayane bitterly reminded herself of her duty.

"How many demons did you see when you came here?"

"Over eighty outside, from what I saw. More are inside the Fortress." She reported.

"I doubt that Hayate has the ninja to spare to help us reclaim out headquarters." Shiden murmured.

The room fell silent as the former Mugen Tenshin Clan leader wrestled with a choice. Ayane could see the turmoil in his eyes as he reached a decision.

"Come. We have much work to do." Shiden scanned the hallway once more.

Once again, it was devoid of enemies. He motioned for Ayane to follow as he opened the door and disappeared into the darkness.

_Mugen Tenshin Clan Village_

_Japan_

_Saturday 10:03 p.m._

The flames consuming the buildings of the clan illuminated the night sky, turning night into day inside the village. The bodies of fallen ninja and shinobi littered the ground, a testament on how far a ninja would go for his or her duty and home. The roar of the inferno would be deafening, if there were anyone alive to hear it. Yet, the sound of patted footsteps sprinting across the ground of dirt and dust grew louder as the source of the noise drew closer.

Ryu dashed through the village, several Damned Ninja ran and leapt across rooftops in pursuit.

The modern day super ninja had battled against the demons that had tried to halt his incursion into the village for over 20 minutes. Every time he had thinned the numbers of his assailants, more just sprung forth from the shadows to replace their fallen comrades. A few minutes ago, he had decided to abandon the battle, seeing it as only an attempt to keep him occupied while the home of his friend was quickly becoming a hell on earth.

At first, he had managed to lose the hell-spawn ninja when he ran into the village, but they slowly caught up. Now they were harassing him with shuriken, attempting to take his life through projectile weapons than with hand to hand combat. Ryu had to admit they were inhumanly quick since they managed to catch up with him in a matter of seconds, despite their inferior fighting styles.

He gave quick glances at the corpses of the Mugen Tenshin ninja as he sped past them.

"Well, inferior to mine at least." Ryu grimly remarked.

He was a Hayabusa, an elite ninja trained from birth to be perfect in all forms of the ninja arts. He had fought against fiends, demons, Tengus, and humans as well. He knew their strengths and weaknesses from study and experience. The current day Mugen Tenshin ninja, however, have usually fought against human opponents, both regular and enhanced by DOATEC. Aside from a few oni and demon creatures, they had no experience with fighting against a demonic army that outnumbered them. Not until today at least. Their ancestors had fought against creatures like these nearly all the time. That changed ever since the day the Legendary Dark Knight, Sparda, sealed the entryway into the demon realm. Now demons were scattered and scarce. Only a handful was supposed to exist. The creatures pursuing him seemed to shatter that concept.

Ryu's thoughts were interrupted as the Damned Ninja unleashed another volley of shuriken.

The dragon ninja dodged left, than right. He flipped through the air as the metal blades became imbedded into the ground where his legs would have been. Their aim was improving.

Ryu's mind raced. He needed to get these demons off his back, yet he could not stop and fight them, as he was sure that more would appear to join in. That would only reenter him into the problem he had with the demonic ninja when he tried to enter the village.

Up ahead, he saw a pair of homes engulfed in flames on either side of the route he was currently on. Their skeletal frames were exposed as the fire had already incinerated the walls.

An idea popped into his head.

"I have to time this just right." He thought.

He removed several shuriken that were strapped to his legs. He waited until he was a few meters away from the burning homes until he unleashed the shuriken. Each one landed on a beam inside the two houses.

He dashed past the buildings without incident. However, as soon as the demons landed on the homes, the sounds of small explosions filled their ears. Each of Ryu's shuriken detonated, chipping away at the support beams until they were unstable. The two buildings collapsed, burying the creatures in flaming rubble. Large amounts of smoke rose up from either home, signaling their demise.

Incendiary shuriken. They proved just as good at demolition as they did in battle.

With his demon problem taken care of, Ryu jumped onto the rooftops and made his way further into the village. He spotted a large building that was spared from the flame, even though it was surrounded by other structures that were not so fortunate.

Ryu recognized the building, it was a secret armory used to arm the villagers and ninja incase of an attack. Irony struck Ryu had how the building was not only unused, but still standing while the village was being consumed. The door into the structure was opened and he saw movement inside.

That was enough for Ryu to decide to investigate.

Ryu made his way to the armory. He slowly crept to the open doorway and peeked inside. Only one person was inside, a _very _large person. Correction. A very large _demon_ was inside. Ryu thought it was a Damned Samurai, but upon closer inspection, the thing was bulkier.

The creature had turned the armory inside out. Spears, swords, and armor lay scattered across the ground. The gigantic monstrosity was currently going through the swords that were placed along the wall. The demon would grab a katana, unsheathe it, study the blade, and toss both sword and sheath over its shoulder and grab another.

It was obviously searching for something

"What's it looking for?" Ryu mentally inquired.

The creature froze, as if it sensed his thoughts. Slowly it turned to face him. Ryu's eyes widened at what it saw.

The giant began to walk forward. Ryu's legs unconsciously began to step back, keeping the distance between him and the creature as it moved forward.

The armored demon stepped outside, the light from the fires revealed its identity. Ryu now knew with certainty whom had led the attack and whispered his name.

"Doku."


	4. the dark samurai

A/N: Midterms+workalmost no free time! Yet, I found the time to make this. My apologies for the lateness, but I took a little more time in writing this to make it better (hopefully). I didn't get any reviews for chap 3, but I'll admit, I wasn't as happy with it as the other chaps. Anyways, on with the story.

Disclaimer: DMC owned by Capcom. DOA and Ninja Gaiden owned by Team Ninja and Tecmo. I, of course, don't own anything.

Chapter 4. Let's keep this train goin'.

**Dead or Alive 4: The Devil Factor**

**Chapter 4: The Dark Samurai**

_Mugen Tenshin Clan Fortress_

_Japan_

_Saturday-10:10 p.m._

"We're here." Shiden informed Ayane.

The two ninjas stood in front of a large door that led to the basement rooms of the fortress tower. Beyond the doors laid the most powerful and dangerous weapons and artifacts the Mugen Tenshin Clan had obtained during its eighteen generations of existence. The kunoichi had never personally seen what was inside the fabled basement, but she had heard stories about the various items.

Shiden pushed the door open and entered with Ayane.

"Is he going to use one of the weapons the Clan obtained? He knows that the use of any item inside these doors is forbidden." Ayane thought.

While the purple haired teen thought to herself, Shiden made his way across the room and passed by many different weapons ranging from Japanese swords to European axes. There were also highly decorated jars, antique boxes, and many other harmless looking knick-knacks. Ayane knew that while all the items in the room looked like lavish decorations, each one had a power that could be a threat to the world.

"Master Shiden? What exactly are we here for?" Ayane asked.

"This."

Shiden pulled away the cloth that covered what Ayane thought was a huge crate of some kind. The former leader of the Mugen Tenshin Clan uncovered a large stack of smaller crates. All of them had 'high explosives' stamped on the front, along with the DOATEC corporate logo.

"Wh…what is this?" Ayane gasped.

"These are some 'souvenirs' we obtained during a raid on one of DOATEC's warehouses." A smirk appeared on his lips as he continued. "The team that came across these thought they might come in handy in our efforts against our new enemy."

The smirk faded.

"How ironic that we will need them for a very different reason."

Ayane's stomach turned. Surely he was not suggesting that…

Shiden retrieved a small, black device that was nearby and pressed a switch. 'Armed' flashed on the tiny display.

"What are you doing?" Ayane's voice trembled.

"If we cannot take back the fortress, than we must destroy it."

Destroy the Mugen Tenshin Clan Fortress? He had to be joking! The fortress had been apart of the clan since the first generation. To destroy it was like destroying a part of its history.

"I know how you must feel, Ayane, but we cannot let the fortress fall into enemy hands!" Shiden's voice rang with authority.

Ayane silently nodded. She knew about never letting the enemy obtain a stronghold. But never in her life did she believe that anyone, human or not, would ever win against her clan.

"When you think you are invincible, you will have lost the battle." That was one of many pearls of wisdom from Genra.

"Besides" she told herself, "The village is in trouble as well and it looks like we can't save both."

She noticed Shiden was fumbling with the device and mumbling under his breath.

"Now how do I set the timer on this damn thing?"

Ayane let out a small giggle as she watched the almost universal icon of a middle-aged man completely lost with an electronic device. Her sense of humor quickly turned to horror as she realized that the man was messing around with a detonator of a large pile of explosives.

"Perhaps I should set the timer, Master Shiden."

Ayane pried the metallic device out of his grasp without waiting for a reply. She had accepted that the fortress would be destroyed. She had not accepted her being there when the bombs went off.

Ayane's smile returned when she heard Shiden grumble about how electronics had become too confusing. She studied the device and quickly became accustomed to its layout.

"How long?" she asked.

"Two minutes. That's enough time for us to escape and get within a safe distance."

She typed in the command and handed back the detonator. "Press the red button to start it."

"Thanks." He muttered, a small smile on his face.

Ayane returned the smile. "I wonder…would he smile at me like this…if I was his daughter?" she thought.

She would never admit it, but ever since Genra died, a hole was left in her life, one that once was the fatherly love he gave her that kept her stable in her unfair life. She thought that she would get all the affection that Genra once bestowed upon her from Hayate. But he was the leader of the Mugen Tenshin Clan, a position that denied him the ability to think of his family first. While he did love her like a sister, he could not show it.

"Stop it!" She told herself, "You're acting like a love starved child. You're a Hajin Mon ninja for Kami's sake!"

Despite her pep talk, the emptiness remained.

Her thoughts about herself were interrupted as she felt the air leave her lungs. She realized that Shiden had leapt on top of her and forced both of them to the ground.

"Wh…what are you doing?!" she yelped.

Shiden sprang back to his feet, glaring at the front doorway. Ayane followed his look, discovering a half a dozen Damned Ninja. She sat up. Her gaze fell back to Shiden. She caught something shiny in the corner of her eye. A handful of shuriken were implanted in several of the explosive crates.

"If Shiden didn't throw me to the ground I…" Her thoughts trailed off.

She returned to her feet, furious that she allowed herself to wallow in self-pity while she was still on a mission.

"Six against two? Hardly fair, but I don't like to give my enemies a chance." She mentally joked as her self-confidence came flooding back.

The main door into the room exploded in a shower of splintered wood. Two Damned Samurai thundered into the room.

The two Mugen Tenshin ninja unconsciously took a step back.

"I think they figured out what we're up to." Shiden said dryly.

She glanced at Shiden, then back to the approaching hoard. Shiden was a great ninja and clan leader back in his day. But now, his youthful energy was gone and his retirement from his ninja life had probably taken its toll.

"I can handle the armored ones, Master Shiden, if you can take the rest." She declared. The Damned Ninja would be easier to deal with than the samurais.

"Very well." Shiden's voice was calm, despite the tinge of anxiety he felt.

"It's been a while since my last fight." He thought.

Ayane blurred across the room, preparing to meet her demonic foes head on. She leapt into the air, barrel-rolling feet-first into one of the samurais. The behemoth fell back and skidded across the floor. Ayane rolled back to her feet and turned to the second demon, its sword already in mid-swing. She leapt back. The blade barely grazed her side.

She took a few steps back and quickly checked herself.

"Only a scratch." She told herself.

She snapped her head back up as the demon renewed its attack. She flew over her attacker and landed behind it. She kicked at the back of its leg, causing the samurai to drop its knees. The purple-haired shinobi took advantage of the demon's temporary immobility and pierced the back of its unarmored neck with a kunai. The demon struggled to turn around, attempting to slash at the female before it met its end.

Spinning like a top, Ayane backed away to avoid the demon's last attack, then came forward again, delivering a powerful kick to its head. With its helmet shattered, the demon went sliding across the floor, erupting into black smoke when it hit the wall.

The first demon she attacked had returned to its feet and charged back into battle. She made a glance in Shiden's direction. He was fighting off three of the six Damned Ninja. The other three were not in sight, most likely destroyed by the former Mugen Tenshin leader.

"He's still got some fight in him after all." She thought with a smile on her lips.

She returned her attention to her opponent. It was almost upon her, its sword in motion. Ayane had to jump back to avoid being plowed over, all the while dodging the sword strikes.

Remembering the kunai in her hand, she threw the bladed projectile into the unarmored spot where the leg and foot met. The beast let out an inhuman roar of pain as wisps of black smoke seeped out of the wound.

With its aggressive charge now halted, Ayane went on the offensive. She began to spin again, her body becoming a purple cyclone, lashing out with open-handed strikes. Normally, such an attack would overwhelm an enemy and could cause staggering amounts of damage, but her opponent was heavily armored, making her attempts futile.

"Damn it!" She said to herself. "This is getting me nowhere."

Her hands began to throb with pain, informing her that not only was her attacks worthless, but she was hurting herself more than the demon.

A change of tactics was in order.

She tucked in her arms and continued to spin. With growing momentum, she unleashed another powerful kick. The demon flew back, skidded across the floor, and almost went through a wall.

She stopped her spinning and looked around the room. Shiden was now fighting off two ninja, still holding his own. She returned her gaze to the samurai who was struggling to stand back up. She needed a weapon, and her last kunai was imbedded in the demon's foot.

A Greek style sword and shield was nearby inside a glass case. A predatory bird was meticulously engraved into the chrome-colored shield and blade. Ayane did not know the story behind the displayed weapon, nor did she particularly care at the moment, but it offered her a way to defeat the demonic warrior.

"But no one's allowed to use these weapons." She told herself.

The plan for destroying the tower came back into her mind.

"Who's gonna know?" She thought with a devious smirk.

She smashed the case and grabbed the sword. The sound of heavy footsteps brought her attention back to the Damned Samurai who was once again, charging back into the fight.

"I doubt this thing is balanced for throwing." She thought, feeling the weight of the foreign weapon in her hand. "Which means I'm going to have to get my hands dirty."

The demon held its katana over its head, threatening to bisect the young kunoichi. Ayane waited until the demon attacked to make her move. With blinding speed, she twisted her body out of the path of the demon's sword. The blade became imbedded in the floor, forcing the demon to wrench it free before it could renew its attack. Ayane shot into the air and landed on the creature's shoulders. With both hands, she drove the blade into the demon's helmet, piercing it through the crown of its head.

An agonizing scream echoed inside the demon's helmet as it thrashed around violently, attempting to dislodge the weapon in its head. Ayane jumped off the demon and watched it as it fell to its kness, smoke shooting out of the top of its head. The demon fell over, the smoke faded, and the armor dissolved into nothing, all that was left was the sword and her kunai.

Ayane crossed her arms and sported a victorious grin. "How disappointing!" She huffed.

"Now to…"

Her thoughts were cut short as she turned and came upon the sight of Shiden, sprawled out on the ground with a lone Damned Ninja standing over him, preparing to impale the human ninja. The memory of Yuri in a similar predicament flashed through her mind.

"NO!"

Feeling her adrenaline spike, she dove for her kunai and launched it at the demon. Just as her encounter with Yuri, the projectile pierced the back of the demon's head.

Ayane scrambled to her feet and rushed over to Shiden, his demon aggressor already evaporated. Blood was oozing out where two shuriken were imbedded into his flesh.

"He must have gotten these when he threw me to the ground." She thought. "That means he fought off six demons with this wound?"

"Ayane" Shiden's voice was barely a whisper.

"Don't talk! I'll get someone…" her voice trailed off. Who could she get? Everyone who was at the tower was either dead or a demon.

Shiden laughed weakly. "I guess I'm not the ninja I once was."

Shiden reached into his gi and retrieved the detonator. "Two minutes, that's how long you have to get out of here."

Ayane's eyes widen at his words. "Me!? What about you? You won't be able to make it out in two minutes with…"

"I'm not going." Shiden interrupted.

"What?"

"I can't leave, not like this." Shiden's voice became weaker with every word. "I'll pass out before we leave the tower."

"Then I'll carry you." She replied.

He let out a faint chuckle that quickly became a coughing fit. Blood trickled out of the corner of his mouth. "It'll take you two minutes just to get me out of this room."

Fighting back tears, Ayane did not know what to say.

"Before you go." Shiden continued. "Promise me that you'll find…your mother."

Ayane's blood ran cold. "M…mother?" Her heart began to pound harder. "Where is she? The tower? The village?"

Shiden gave a confused expression as he looked into Ayane's eyes. His confusion was washed away with realization. "I see. So Hayate didn't tell you."

"Tell me what?"

"If Hayate didn't inform you, then I have no right to do so either." She could tell he was not speaking with malice, he was merely stating a fact.

"Please. Tell me." Ayane pleaded.

Shiden gazed dreamily at Ayane. His reached out and touched her cheek. "You…look just like her." Ayane blushed at the comment.

"I always hated the fact that you were…conceived by such a dishonorable act. That my traitorous brother…could be so…" He trailed off, unwilling to recall the tragic events around her birth. "I wanted you…to be my daughter."

Ayane was dumbstruck. To hear this from a man who had barely even acknowledged her existence. It was over whelming.

"She was taken." Shiden's voice snapped her back to reality. "We don't know by whom, but we suspect DOATEC may be involved."

"When?"

"A few weeks before the fourth Dead or Alive tournament."

"Why didn't he tell me?"

"I don't know. You'll have to ask him yourself."

Silence filled the room as neither being could say anything. Ayane's mind tried to process the new information, trying to rationalize why her brother did not tell her about their mother's disappearance.

Her train of thought ground to a halt as the sound of approaching armored footsteps began to register in her ears.

"Go. Now." Shiden said, pushing her away.

Ayane took a few steps back, looked at Shiden one last time, then dashed out of the room.

"Good bye, Ayane." Shiden whispered as he thumbed the red button.

Two minutes later, a deafening roar and a wave of heat washed over Ayane. The shinobi paused on a tree branch for a brief moment, then continued back towards the village, unable to look back.

_One mile west of Mugen Tenshin Clan Ninja Fortress_

_Japan_

_Saturday-10:15 p.m._

"Yuri? Where are you?" Ayane called out.

The kunoichi knew it was bad tactics to yell out someone's name in the middle of a battle, but searching for the boy was eating up to much precious time.

"I told him to wait right _here_ for me!" She hissed. The idea of just leaving him behind and returning to the village popped into her head. She pushed that thought away. She would not just abandon him.

"Ayane? Is that you?"

The purple-haired teen turned her head towards the voice. Yuri stepped out from behind a tree, his sword held clumsily in his hand.

"What happened? I heard an explosion and…"

"The fortress is gone. Come on, we have to go back to the village." Ayane did not give Yuri a chance to finish. She did not want to waste time talking, nor did she want to relive the events in the tower.

Yuri's was taken aback by Ayane's sudden comment on the tower, but he nodded his head, acknowledging her order.

"I…I'm sorry…Mistress Ayane. If I hadn't slowed you down, you would of…"

"I SAID LET'S GO!" She regretted yelling at the lad. She knew it was not his fault, but she was not in the mood to play 'miss sympathy'.

Her head snapped up as she felt a dark presence in the trees.

Nothing.

She felt it again, behind her.

Like before, no one was there.

"What the _hell_?" She thought.

Yuri blinked in confusion at Ayane's odd behavior. "Is…something wrong, Mistress?"

"Yuri." Ayane whispered, "Run back to the village, _now_."

Yuri, knowing full well of the futility of arguing with Ayane, slowly took a few steps away before going into mad dash for the village.

"Now I don't have to worry about protecting him." She thought.

The dark presence continued to jump from one place to another, causing Ayane to become even more agitated. "Where the fuck are you?"

As if to answer her question, the presence stopped moving around and became situated in front of her.

In a puff of white smoke, a female ninja appeared. She was clad in a black gi, similar to the ones most kunoichi's wore. Her arms and legs were exposed, yet she wore a hood that covered her face. She was slightly taller than Ayane, yet was just as thin. With her eyes glowing a deep blue and her skin as white as snow, Ayane realized that this was not a ninja, but another demon, a Damned Shinobi.

Ayane had heard about the Damned Shinobi. They had the ability to teleport and were always female in appearance. Odd, since a shinobi could be male or female.

"Get out of my way!" Ayane bellowed, assuming a fighting stance.

The demon did not reply or move. It simply stood still, watching the Hajin Mon ninja as she ready herself for battle.

Her patience already at its limit, Ayane struck first. She launched an open-handed strike at the demon. When her hand was centimeters from the Damned Shinobi's face, the demon vanished in a cloud of white smoke. Ayane whirled around, feeling the demon appear behind her, and lashed out again. The demon disappeared once more and reappeared beside her, still in a neutral position.

"It's toying with me." Her mind hissed.

She spun around, this time delivering a kick. White smoke was all she hit as the demon appeared behind her. This time, the demon retaliated by delivering a blow to Ayane's back. The young ninja flew forward and slammed into a tree, her head bounced off its trunk. She could feel blood trickle down her forehead.

"You BITCH!" She spat.

She pushed herself off the tree and turned to face her attacker. The demon was gone.

Before she had a chance to search, the demon materialized behind her. It held a tanto and prepared to slice through Ayane's neck. The purple-haired teen disrupted the Damned Shinobi's plans with an elbow to its face, causing the demon to drop its blade. She followed up with a barrage of strikes before flipping into the air, slamming the heels of her feet into the demon's chin. As soon as the demon hit the ground, Ayane leapt up and planted both feet into the demon's midsection.

"It's all your fault, you know." She stated as she looked down on her beaten foe.

"Now, to catch up with Yuri. He shouldn't have gotten far."

She took two steps before hearing an inhuman groan. She turned to see the Damned Shinobi levitating back up to its feet, its glowing eyes resting firmly on Ayane. It unsheathed a second tanto.

"You want some more?" She asked with a mischievous grin.

The demon was replaced with a cloud of smoke. Ayane calmly waited for the demon to strike. She snapped a kick where she felt the presence.

"Got you!"

Her foot meet no resistance as it went through the small cloud of smoke. A sharp pain torn through her back as the demon's blade sliced into her skin. Ayane stumbled forward, than fell.

"The goddamned thing tricked me!" She hissed.

She placed both hands on the ground and prepared to push herself up. The demon placed its foot on her back and held her down. She turned her head to look at her assailant. She grabbed a handful of dirt and prepared to throw it into the demon's eyes.

"I can play dirty too, bitch." She thought.

Before she had a chance, a streak of black slammed into the demon. Ayane struggled to a sitting position as she saw a male ninja drive its sword into the demon. White smoke shoot out and the clothing it wore evaporated. The human ninja's breathing was ragged as he looked back at Ayane.

"Yuri?" She gasped.

"Looks like I was able to repay you, Mistress…"

He was interrupted as blood burst out of his mouth, splattering the dirt. He gasped for breath and fell to the ground.

"YURI!" Ayane screamed. She rushed over and knelt beside him. Her breath caught in her throat as she rolled him over. The demon's tanto was buried hilt deep into his stomach.

"No…not him too." She mentally pleaded.

"I'm…sorry I disobeyed you…Mistress Ayane." Yuri whispered.

"Shut up, Yuri. Just hold on, we'll get you fixed up." Ayane commanded. It was a lie. She did not have the medical training or supplies to treat such a wound.

"Just…go. They still need you. I'm just gonna…get in your way. I always do." Yuri sadly replied.

Ayane looked towards the village, the eerie glow of the fires still illuminated the skies over their home.

"You know what you have to do. You have to get back and help save the village. Hayate is waiting for you. GO." Pleaded a voice in her head, a voice other than her own.

She looked back down at Yuri, his breathing labored. His face began to drain of color. Fear was in his eyes.

Flashbacks began to appear in her mind. Saving Yuri from drowning. Catching him washing her clothes. His timid attempts to start a conversation. His smile as she broke down and talked to him.

"No. He will not die alone." This time, the voice in her head was her's. She positioned herself next to Yuri and placed his head on her lap.

"M…mistress?" Yuri voice trembled with surprise, his eyes filled with shock and confusion.

She did not speak as she gently stroked his hair. Yuri was speechless. The girl of his dreams was actually being nice to him. Fear wrenched through his stomach as to why she was giving him affection.

"I…know I'm going to die…Mistress. You don't have to…pretend to…"

He was silenced as he felt a pair of lips pressing into his own. His fear turned into shock, than melted into bliss as he returned the kiss.

Ayane drew back, her heart pounding. "That was your reward." She whispered, a small smile on her face. "For being a foolish hero."

He gazed, dreamily into Ayane's eyes. "That was my first kiss."

Ayane blushed. "Mine too." She thought.

"Ayane…I…love…" His voice faded as his eyes became dull and unfocused. His last words would forever go unfinished.

Placing a hand over his face, Ayane closed Yuri's eyes. She moved his head and stood. Tears stained her face as another man in her life was snatched away. Her hands clenched into fists as rage boiled inside her.

Her body shook as the anger began to reach its climax. "Those abominations will _beg_ for death when I…"

Before she could finish her threat, she sensed another dark presence. She looked up to find a second Damned Shinobi dashing through the treetops with something in tow.

She prepared to give chase when she realized what the demon held.

"How did…? Did that thing grab it before the tower exploded?"

She leapt into the trees and went after the demon.

"Hayate, I hope you're having better luck than I am."

_Mugen Tenshin Clan Village_

_Japan_

_Saturday-10:02 p.m._

For many generations, the Mugen Tenshin Clan has fought for justice in an unjust world. They have battled against those who are corrupt, wicked, and evil. And every time, they have won. Despite overwhelming odds, the ninja of the Mugen Tenshin style have always emerged victorious against its enemies. And not once, in the eighteen generations of its existence, has it ever fought off invaders of their village.

Until today, that is.

Hayate stumbled back. His attack against the Damned Shogun had once again been repelled. Grasping his left side, Hayate could feel one of his ribs had been broken during his last assault. A coppery taste began to fill his mouth as blood fought its way up his throat.

His fight against the demon was far from lopsided. If anything, he was landing more strikes than the behemoth was. Yet every time he attacked, the result was the same. He would rush in and attack the beast with a frenzy of blows while dodging the shogun's sluggish attacks. Than after a bit, it would anticipate when Hayate would be momentarily unable to defend himself, and swat him away like an annoying fly. If he was fighting a Damned Ninja or Damned Samurai, he would have defeated it by now, but this opponent was different, stronger and more resilient than the others.

Hayate lacked the means to actual hurt the creature, his sword. He doubted the demon would simply stand still while he dropped to the ground and retrieve his missing weapon. He used up all of his shuriken while he and his group were dealing with the waves of Damned Samurai and Damned Ninja and his short sword was, unfortunately, unavailable.

His thoughts briefly went to his group who were occupying the large battalion of demons while he fought the Damned Shogun. He could still hear the sounds of their battle, but he did not look to check on them. He already had an opponent, and it demanded his undivided attention.

Hayate noticed the shogun's mask was different than a Damned Samurai's. Its mask did resemble a demon's face, but the metal mouth was twisted upwards, like it was caught in sadistic laugh. If Hayate did not know any better, he could have sworn that it was laughing at him, mocking him as he tried to kill it.

"I will _not_ be beaten by this monstrosity!" Hayate told himself.

The wind ninja went over the plan he had concocted one more time, ensuring he did not leave any variable out. The only obstacle he had from carrying out his idea was the Damned Shogun's pike. He witnessed how the demon could wield the weapon both offensively and defensively. Earlier, he had thrown his short sword at the demon, attempting a surprise attack. It whirled its pike around, knocking the blade out of the air.

The Mugen Tenshin Clan leader dashed towards his opponent again. The shogun responded by hefting its pike, readying itself for another attack. At the last moment, Hayate ducked under the shogun's weapon as it swung. He jumped to the left when the shogun raised its armored foot and slammed it down to where its prey once resided. The wind ninja delivered a series of punches and kicks that caused the demon to stumble backward. Hayate allowed the demonic being to regain its center of balance and saw how the shogun rewarded him by bringing its pike over its head and brought it down on him, bladed end first.

"Perfect" Hayate's mind responded.

By shifting his weight to the left, Hayate spun on his leg, moving him a few inches of where he stood. The pike came crashing down, puncturing the roof. The weapon had missed him by only a hairbreadth.

Before the demon could dislodge its weapon, Hayate reared back and struck the pike with all of his might. A sharp pain shot through the ninja's hand and arm as the demon's deadly weapon broke in two. The demon looked at the section of its pike that it still held. Whether it was confused or amazed, Hayate could not tell.

Taking advantage of the demon's lapse in attention, Hayate circled around the beast and leaped up on its back. From behind, he wrapped his legs across the demon's neck and chest. He bent backwards, using his momentum to yank the demon off its feet and slam it into the roof. The sound of wooden beams cracking under the pressure almost masked the noise made by the demon's armor as it made contact with the roof itself.

Returning to his feet, Hayate leapt into the air and came back down on the demon's back. The roof, deciding that it could take no more punishment, gave way. The two bodies crashed into the burning building.

Hayate was on his feet in a flash. Scanning the room, he found the spot where the weapon he needed was hidden. After pulling back the floorboards, he retrieved a large object that was wrapped in a sheet.

The Damned Shogun pushed itself off the floor and stood to its full height of seven feet. It pounded forward where its ninja target kneeled. Paying no heed to the flames that licked at its armor, the demon unsheathed one of its katana. When it was a few meters from Hayate, it noticed the human tossing aside a sheet and standing up with something in his hands.

Hayate turned to face his enemy, taking aim with his newly found bow. He drew back on the string, an arrow at the ready. The shogun paused and made an indistinguishable sound. Hayate wondered if the sound was made out of bewilderment or if the creature found the idea of a bow and arrow being used against it was humorous.

Hayate leveled the bow and began to channel his Ninpo through it. The air around the arrow began to crackle as white energy coursed through the wooden projectile. The Damned Shogun took notice and charged towards the wind ninja, sword at the ready.

"A single flash of lightning." Hayate whispered as he released the arrow.

The projectile shot out leaving behind a slight rippling effect in the air. The demon tried to bat the arrow away, but without its pike, it could not act fast enough. The Ninpo-enhanced arrow cut right through the demon's chest plate as if though the adamantine armor was replaced with tissue paper.

The Damned Shogun fell with a large hole in its chest. The building shook as the demon hit the floor and erupted in a thick cloud of sand. Just like the other demons he had encounter that night, its armor boiled and vaporized.

With a sigh of relief, he placed the bow and the quiver of arrows on his back. With renewed gusto, he exited the burning hut to rejoin the others.

Hayate heart sank at the sight he came across. The bodies of the ninja he had brought with him littered the ground. No Damned Ninja or Damned Samurai was in sight. His ninja had killed them all in exchange for their own lives.

Such a victory left a bitter taste in one's mouth, if it could be called a victory at all.

"At least they died defending their homes and loved ones." He told himself. There was no better way to die.

"Damn it, Ryu. Where _are_ you?"

_Mugen Tenshin Clan Village_

_Japan_

_Saturday-10:13 p.m._

"Doku."

"Ah. I was hoping to met with you before I left, protector." Doku's voice still held the inhuman malice that Ryu remembered.

"I thought you were dead." Ryu declared.

"I was. However, as you can plainly see, I have been reborn." Doku smugly replied.

"What are you doing here?" Ryu asked. "Why are you attacking this village? If it's me your after…"

"Ha! You?" Doku chuckled. "I have bigger prizes in mind."

Ryu was surprised at Doku's remark.

"I will admit I did harbor a grudge against you. After all, you did destroy my body, sent my soul to hell, ruined the 'Awakening', and killed my master, the Dark Emperor." Doku's voice grew in volume and became increasingly hateful when he listed Ryu's achievements in Vigoor.

"But." Doku's voice instantly changed back into his usual cold and calm tone. "I suppose I should thank you. My body has been remade, for I am no longer a fiend, but a true demon now. My experiences in the underworld have made me stronger. I am now completing a larger, grander mission. And I have a new master, a more powerful master, one that made me into the being you see before you."

"Who is this 'new master' of yours?" Ryu asked sternly.

"You two will meet, soon enough."

Before Ryu could ask another question, a familiar presence grew closer until it appeared next to him. In a shower of black feathers the wind ninja materialized.

"Hayate!"

"Ryu, what's…" The ninja clan leader trailed off as his gaze settled on the Dark Samurai.

"The Mugen Tenshin Clan leader? This is a very fortunate night." Doku joked.

"Is that…?" Hayte whispered to Ryu.

Ryu nodded.

"Doku." Hayate growled. "You're actions here will be punished…"

"By whom?" Doku interrupted. "Your clan is in shambles and you are powerless to do anything about it."

Hayate gritted his teeth, "I will make you pay for what you have done here, you abomination."

What sounded like an amused humph echoed inside Doku's helmet. "Perhaps a demonstration of my power is in order."

Doku raised his right hand until it became level with his head. His palm opened. Neither ninja said a word as a small blue flame ignited in his hand. The flame grew until it engulfed his entire gauntlet. Forming his hand into a fist, he reared back and slammed his fist into the ground.

On sheer instinct, both ninja jumped back as bluish hellfire erupted, a curtain of flames rushing towards them. As soon as they landed, the azure fire was almost upon them. Before either combatant could retreat further, the flame dissipated, vanishing as quickly as it was created.

The two friends gasped at the destruction that was caused. A large crater of blackened ash and sot had formed around Doku. The buildings that had surrounded him were gone, incinerated by the flash inferno.

"And that." Doku declared as his armor glowed with heat, "was just a sample."

Ryu cursed under his breath. He had thought that Doku was just bluffing about his new powers. Hayate stood motionless, taking in all of the destruction that had happened in a heartbeat.

Both ninjas jolted into a defensive stance as another explosion took place. This time, the explosion was just a poof of white smoke. And instead of destruction, a Damned Shinobi holding a katana appeared. The demon walked forward and kneeled before Doku, holding out the sword.

"Ah. I have been looking for this."

Ryu instantly recognized the blade, the Kitetsu, Doku's sword. The same one he took when he destroyed the former Lord of the Greater Fiend's physical body.

Doku unsheathed the blade and studied it. "My thanks to you, protector. You have taken great care of my blade while I was away."

"And now, we shall take our leave." Doku said as he sheathed the Kitesu. "I have gotten what I came for."

"You mean to tell me. That you destroyed my village, killed my people, brought hell upon this place for a SWORD?!" Hayate bellowed.

Ryu winced at the irony of it all. How Doku did the exact same thing to his village for a similar reason.

"Well…no, not exactly." Doku admitted. "I came here to deliver a message." His head swiveled left and right, observing the havoc that had been created by him and his Damned Shogunate. "It appears that the message has been received."

Unable to contain his fury any longer, Hayate charged at the newly made demon. Ryu held out a hand to stop him, but was too late.

A wall of blue flame sprang up between Doku and the enraged ninja. Hayate skidded to a halt, desperately looking for a way around. The flames vanished, as did Doku and the Damned Shinobi.

"Damn it!" Hayate cursed.

The foul creature escaped before he could claim his revenge. His body shook with rage.

"I _will_ have my vengeance, Doku. This I swear!" He yelled, hoping Doku was at least within earshot. He whirled his head around as he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"And I shall help you." Ryu said.

Hayate took deep breaths, quelling the fire within him. "Thank you."

"Master Hayate! Master Ryu!"

Both men turned to see Ayane leaping from rooftop to rooftop before landing before them.

"Ayane." Hayate thought, "Thank Kami you're still alright."

"What happened here?" Ayane asked as she surveyed the damage around them.

"We found out who lead the attack." Ryu answered.

"Was it…Doku?" Ayane nervously asked.

Both ninja looked at her in bewilderment. "How did…?"

"I saw one of the demons, it was carrying the Kitetsu." Ayane answered without waiting for Hayate to finish.

"I'm sorry, Master Hayate." Ayane said with a bow. "I tried to stop it, but…"

"No. Don't be. None of us could have expected this." Hayate answered with a low voice.

Ayane opened her mouth than quickly closed it. "This…isn't the time to ask him about mother." She thought.

"Kasumi." Hayate prayed. "Please be safe."

_Downtown Tokyo_

_Japan_

_Sunday-11:22 a.m._

I had the dream again. I was in darkness, unending darkness. But I was not scared, nor alarmed. I was…at peace. I saw three lights pierce the darkness. Each one glowed brightly, but could not overcome the darkness. Then they formed into one, but instead of illuminating, it faded, until I could no longer see it. The ground trembled beneath me as…something…emerged from the darkness. I…cannot remember what it looked like…but I remember the fear taking over.

I wanted to run, but I could not. I wanted to scream, but I had no voice.

It was almost upon me.

Than _he_ came. With his sword, he battled the…thing. The battle was fierce, brutal, and overpowering. Like watching gods fight. No. Not gods, devils. I…do not know who won, but he stood before me. He was cloaked in…red was it? Yes, red. His eyes glowed red, but they held not evil, no malice. I felt like I was…I do not know. I cannot remember.

Who are you?

Who?

"KASUMI!!"

Kasumi squawked in surprise as she almost fell out of her chair, her eardrums ringing.

"Nice to see you with us." Nami said. The fiery girl had always loved a good prank, and screaming into a daydreaming Kasumi's ear had defiantly fallen into the 'good' category.

"Don't be so mean, Nami!" Yuna meekly berated. "Are you ok, Kasumi?" The bi-spectacle girl asked, genuinely concerned.

"Of course she's fine, our Kasumi can handle anything!" Boasted Kyoko. A wide grin spread across her face. A constant source of confidence, she was considered the 'leader' of their little group.

Kasumi watched as the conversation went on, each girl adding her own opinion. Soon, the topic changed from Nami's little joke, to clothes, and finally, boys. Kasumi was always amused at how her friends could easily change any subject to boys.

"They're all so…normal." She thought, a faint smile on her lips.

"How 'bout you, Kasumi?"

"Huh?" The redhead responded as she was placed back into the conversation.

"Who do you like?" the dark-haired Kyoko asked with a sly smile, "Is it Koji? I heard he just broke up with his girlfriend."

"Hey, if he's up for grabs, I'll take him!" Nami stated, twirling her shoulder length, chestnut hair.

Kyoko shot Nami a venomous look. "You went through five boyfriends in one month, let Kasumi have one for a change."

"Yeah." Yuna spoke up. Her braided hair bobbed up and down as she nodded. "She hasn't had any boyfriends at all!"

"Neither have you!" Nami countered.

Kasumi shook her head as the heated debate continued. She set her chin in her hand and watched the people walk by the small outdoor table they occupied. They had stopped for lunch during their shopping spree. Her friends always bought armloads of clothes, while she hardly bought anything. She had money, but normal girl things did not interest her as much as it did to her friends. She just wanted to return home.

Something caught her eye, something red. A man wearing a long, red-leather coat was walking down the sidewalk. He was at least six foot and had white hair, obviously a foreigner. He would glance at a photo, look around him, than glance at the photo again.

"He's looking for something." She thought, "Or someone."

Her blood ran cold as he made eye contact with her and froze.

"He's looking for me!"


	5. a deal with a devil

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews! Also, chinaman8, if you don't want to review, than you don't have too. I just want to know if people like my fic. I don't want to feel like I'm forcing people to review.

Disclaimer: DMC owned by Capcom. DOA and Ninja Gaiden owned by Team Ninja and Tecmo. I own a 360…and that's about it.

Chapter 5. Must…keep…going.

**Dead or Alive 4: The Devil Factor**

**Chapter 5: A Deal With A Devil**

_Mugen Tenshin Clan Village_

_Japan_

_Sunday-8:55 a.m._

Hayate watched solemnly as the survivors of his clan picked through the debris and ash that was once their homes, looking for anything that might have survived, or loved ones that did not. His heart wrenched every time he heard the sobs when another body was found.

He had gone through the village once the fires had died down and could be controlled. Only a few houses escaped the flames with mild damage, others were gutted completely, and the rest were nothing more than a pile of blackened ash.

It would be a long and dark day for the Mugen Tenshin Clan. Going through their destroyed homes, digging graves, searching for bodies, no clan leader should have to order such things in one day.

"I'd never thought I would see the day when demons did this to the Mugen Tenshin." A raspy voice said.

Hayate turned to see Master Tomo, leader of the White Shadow Clan. He was dressed in a simple white kimono and carried a walking cane. His long, white beard contradicted his shiny, bald head. He stood beside Hayate, showing their difference in height. Hayate was easily a head taller than the older ninja leader, whose back was hunched over with age.

"In all my life, never have I seen or heard of a demon horde in such numbers." Tomo continued.

"I'm just as surprised as you are. I, too, thought demons were almost extinct in our world." Hayate replied somberly.

He turned to the elder and politely bowed. "Thank you for sheltering us in our time of need."

Tomo let out a deep chuckle as he waved a dismissive hand. "Nonsense, my boy. Your clan has helped us out plenty of times. It's the least we could do."

The White Shadow Clan became allies with the Mugen Tenshin Clan since Hayate's grandfather, Burai, befriended Tomo. The White Shadow Clan was not as powerful or numerous as the Mugen Tenshin Clan, but they were loyal and trustworthy. Such things seemed to be precious little commodity in the ninja world, which had become synonymous with deceit and betrayal. Only a few clans still held the old codes of honor.

The smile disappeared from Tomo's cracked lips as he looked across the ruins of the village. "I've heard about your father. He was a good man and ninja leader."

Hayate also gazed across the village. The news of his father's death was…sudden. They were as close as any father and son. Losing him with so many others during that night, it was a grievance too much to bear. Kasumi was a runaway, his mother was abducted, and now his father was dead. His family was slowly being picked apart.

"Well, I'll be going." Tomo announced as he turned to leave. "I'll see you at our village."

Hayate nodded his head in acknowledgement. Tomo hobbled off with White Shadow Clan ninja escorts. The wind ninja was left alone and wondered what he should do next. Thankfully, most of the villagers made it out in time. But that was the only good news. The village and fortress were both destroyed. He only had a handful of ninja's left, some too wounded to fight. He had no way to retaliate against the demons or DOATEC.

"If DOATEC is responsible for this, then they have truly become evil." Hayate muttered.

_Mugen Tenshin Clan Gravesite_

_Japan_

_Sunday-9:02 a.m._

Ayane knelt before a gravestone and placed a single, violet flower on the freshly covered mound. She reached out and ran her fingers across the surface.

"You're with your big brother now, Yuri." She prayed.

She had tried to give her condolences to his mother. But she was dead to the world. She just kept staring into space, her face stained with tears. Her husband died of an illness shortly after Yuri was born. Her first son, Akira was killed during the assault on the DOATEC tritower. And now Yuri, her only son left, was dead. She was truly alone. Her brother-in-law said that he would take care of her with his family. But losing a husband and her only two children was something no mother should have to experience.

She stood and gazed across the gravesite. In one day, its size had doubled and more were being dug.

Her sense of pride of the Mugen Tenshin Clan had been shattered. She was shown that even her mighty clan could be reduced to this, rows upon rows of graves.

She walked further down to another gravestone and placed a second flower.

"I'll fulfill my promise to you, Shiden."

Shiden showed the side of him that she did not even know existed. He did care for her, even though her existence was a constant reminder of how his wife was violated by his sadistic brother. How his perfect family could so easily be stained. She thought he hated her. After all, he ignored her until that night, as if she would go away if he did not pay her any mind. Now he had given her a mission, one that meant more to her than Kasumi's death.

To find her mother and bring her home.

She noticed someone was standing next to her. She looked up to see Hayate looking at his father's grave.

"Master Hayate." Ayane whispered.

Hayate continued to gaze at the gravestone. If he heard her, he did not act on it. Ayane studied his face. While he still held his impassive look, his eyes held turmoil over what had happened and what could happen. The silence went unbroken for few minutes more before Hayate spoke.

"When Ryu returns," He stated as he continued to gaze on his father's resting place. "We'll talk about our next move."

"Ryu? Is he checking on _her_ again? Wait, Next move? But…we have nothing left. I don't think we can take on DOATEC all by ourselves." Ayane thought. She wanted to say it, but she knew her place. Hayate was the clan leader, end of discussion.

Hayate finally tore his gaze away from the grave and began to walk away.

"Wait."

Hayate froze at Ayane's request.

"I need to talk to you." Her voice held a sense of urgency.

"Can't it wait? We will go over our plans when Ryu…"

"It's about mother." She interrupted.

Hayate's back became straighter. He looked around the graveyard, seeing if anyone had heard her. If they did, they appeared uninterested as they continued to either visit a grave or dig new ones.

"Very well." He whispered. "But not here. Follow."

Hayate lead her into the forest, quite a ways from the village. They paused under a tree. Hayate had his back to her and said nothing, waiting for Ayane to break the silence.

Timidly, Ayane spoke. "I know…about mother. She's gone. And you think DOATEC took her."

Silence, once again, followed. Ayane could feel the tension growing between her and her beloved older brother.

"Who told you?" Hayate asked.

"Shiden."

Hayate remained silent.

"Why didn't you tell me? She's…" Ayane paused for a moment as she realized that she was close to yelling. "She's my mother too."

Hayate did not turn as he gave his answer. "We…I don't know if it is DOATEC for sure. There was…no evidence, no witnesses, nothing. She was just…gone."

Ayane could tell that her brother was having a hard time giving out his reply and remaining emotionless. She, herself, found the matter impossible to keep from being personal.

"I couldn't order a search and rescue if we didn't know who took her and why. I needed them to concentrate on our war on DOATEC."

"So you're personal vendetta on DOATEC means more to you than your own MOTHER?!" Ayane screamed.

She slapped a hand over her mouth. Her eyes grew wide with fear and disbelief of her own words.

"I'm…I'm sorry! Please forgive me, Master Hayate! I meant no disrespect!" She bowed deeply.

Hayate's form did not change. His back was still the only thing she could see. His head did not lower in self-disgust, he did not yell, nor did his body tense up with rage. He just stood there, like she did not say those hurtful words.

Ayane's fear quickly turned into panic as her mind raced with thoughts. "Please say something. Tell me to go to hell. Tell I'm right. Hit me, hold me, just…don't ignore me." Her body shook as self-loathing filled her. "Kami, am I fucked up or what?"

Her head snapped up as she felt a hand on her shoulder. Hayate looked into her eyes as he spoke. "We'll find her, Ayane. I promise."

Dumbstruck, Ayane nodded her head. Returning his hand to his side, Hayate walked off, leaving Ayane behind.

When she could no longer hear his footsteps, Ayane backed into a tree. She sank until she was sitting on the ground. Folding her legs against her and wrapping her arms around her knees, she lowered her head as thoughts swam around in her mind.

"Kami, you're pathetic." A voice rang in her head. "You get all emotional when you think your precious big brother hates you. What are you, a doormat? Show him you can think for yourself!"

"NO!" A second voice thundered. "He's the clan leader. You _have_ to do what he says. He loves you, and you know it. And you know he can't show it either. He has to show the others that he is strong, invincible."

As the two voices battled each other, a third voice came into her head. It was small and frail, but the other's hushed when it spoke.

"You're afraid. Kasumi betrayed you. Genra is dead. As is Shiden and Yuri. And now, mother is gone. You're afraid that Hayate will be next. That you will be like Yuri's mother, truly alone."

Ayane could feel the tears forming in her eyes. This voice, it spoke the truth. Even as an outcast, she was never completely alone. Now, it could be a very real possibility.

She stood as the sting of her wounded back began to intensify from being in contact with the tree. The wound had been treated, but it still hurt, a reminder of her battle with the Damned Shinobi and its aftermath.

Yes, Genra, Yuri, and Shiden were dead, but Hayate was different. He was stronger. Nothing will happen to him.

She took a deep breath and calmed herself. "No. Hayate won't die. I'll make sure of it."

With renewed confidence, Ayane walked back to the village, mentally preparing herself for anything.

_Downtown Tokyo_

_Japan_

_Sunday-11:31 a.m._

Dante walked along the sidewalk, unaware of the odd looks he was getting from the city's inhabitants. Many had seen foreigners before, but one that had white hair and a long red coat was definitely worthy of attention.

He started his search for Kasumi at eight in the morning. He checked her school, her apartment, nothing. Now he was forced to blindly search for her in this living ocean. Every time he saw a young, Asian woman, he would check his photo to see if it was Kasumi. And every time, he met with failure.

"Talk about a needle in a haystack. I mean, sure she has red hair, but she's a Japanese girl. She probably comes up to my knee. How the hell am I supposed to find her if she's hidden in this…?"

He paused when he looked around one more time and met the gaze of a red-haired, young Japanese girl wearing a white sweater and pink skirt. She was sitting with other girls around a picnic table. He checked the photo and back to her.

"No…fucking…way." He muttered, a smile forming on his lips. "Either this is my lucky day, or I'm getting psychic."

"He's looking for me!"

Kasumi panicked, a thousand thoughts going through her head.

"Is he an assassin? How can I fight him with my friends not getting hurt? He might use them against me. He might…wait. He stands out too much. He can't be an assassin."

She gripped the hem of her skirt nervously. Whoever it was, he was heading straight for her.

"All right. I just give her the box and…"

Dante came to a halt when a thought crossed his mind.

"What if she doesn't speak English? I sure as hell don't know Japanese. I should have bought one of those English to Japanese books or something. Oh well." He made his way to the table.

"Oh, look. Someone's coming!" Yuna declared.

"Hey, he's a foreigner. Not a bad looking one at that." Nami commented.

"Yeah, his white hair makes him look exotic." Yuna's eyes began to sparkle. "I bet he owns a castle somewhere in England."

Kyoko looked at Yuna with irritation. "You've been reading those romance books again, haven't you?"

Kasumi watched with anxiety as the white-haired man stood before them.

"Are you Kasumi?" The man said slowly, as if he was unsure if she understood him.

"Yes, I am." She replied in English. Her voice was thick with a Japanese accent.

"At least she speaks more clearly than Hikaru." Dante thought.

Her fear increased dramatically as the man reached into his coat.

"Does he have a gun?" She thought.

She relaxed as the man produced a small box wrapped in blue paper and held it out to her. She took the box and looked at it with suspicion.

"Maybe he's a fan of mine." Kasumi thought. She was not as popular as Tina or Zack, but she did receive some attention as a Dead or Alive Tournament fighter.

"Well, I'm done. See ya." The man said as he walked off.

Kasumi snapped her head up at the man's sudden departure. She quickly stood and ran after him.

"Wait! Who are you? What is this?" She yelled.

"I was paid to give you that not do a Q&A." The man yelled back as he continued down the sidewalk.

Kasumi halted at the man's reply.

"Paid? What does he mean?" She wondered.

"What was that about?" Kyoko asked as she and the other girls gathered around Kasumi. None of them understood English, making Kasumi their only method of resolution.

"Yeah, what did he say? Does he have a mansion or something? Does he want you to come visit him? Or does he want _all_ of us to go to Europe?" Yuna was practically bouncing up and down.

"This girl needs a boyfriend and fast." Kyoko thought.

"Careful there, he could be a sicko or something." Nami warned.

"Did he give you a gift? Open it! Open it!" Yuna sang, almost hysterically.

Kasumi looked down at the small package and slowly began to peel away the wrapping. The girls peered inside when Kasumi removed the top.

"What is it? Chocolates? Jewelry?" Yuna asked, still in her frenzied state.

"It's a ribbon." Nami blandly stated.

"A hair ribbon? How tacky can you get?" Kyoko snubbed.

"I guess it's kinda romantic…in a way." Yuna's high was quickly crashing.

"Kasumi, what's wrong?" Kyoko worriedly asked.

Nami and Yuna both looked at Kasumi. Her eyes had grown wide. She was trembling with fright as she looked into the box's contents. A single pink hair ribbon with a tiny purple butterfly embroidered at one end.

Snapping out of her daze, she grabbed the ribbon, dropped the box, and dashed after the man in red.

"I'm sorry, but I have to go! I'll talk to you later!" She yelled over her back.

"Kasumi! Wait! What's going on?" Kyoko yelled. Kasumi did not give her a response as she rounded the corner. "What's with that girl?" She thought.

"I hope she's okay." Yuna said, returning to her former meek self.

Kasumi ran with all her might, bumping into strangers and uttering apologies. She had lost sight of him, but her determination to find the man was strong.

"How?" She thought to herself as she clutched the ribbon in her tiny hand. "How did that man get a hold of my mother's ribbon?"

Unbeknownst to the runaway shinobi, she was under the careful watch of a super ninja.

"That man." Ryu thought with interest. "Could he be…?"

_Hikaru's bar_

_Japan_

_Sunday-12:01 p.m._

"So, you're leaving tonight, huh?" Hikaru asked.

"Yeah. Job's done." Dante replied. "All I can say is that my money better be there when I get back."

Dante looked across the room. Hikaru had spent most of the night cleaning up after his skirmish with the demons. If anything, the place looked worse than before.

"Well, I hope those things that trashed my bar go with you. I doubt I have demon insurance on this place."

Dante looked venomously at Hikaru. "How 'bout I…"

Both men feel silent as the front door creaked open. Kasumi walked in, finding her target sitting by the bar.

"Hey, kid!" Hikaru yelled out in Japanese. "A, were closed and B, no minors!"

Ignoring the man, she marched over to where Dante sat.

"Excuse me, sir? Who gave this to you?" She asked in English, holding out the ribbon.

Dante looked at the ribbon, than back to Kasumi. "What do you mean?"

"This was in the box you gave me and…"

"WHAT?!" Dante yelled and snatched the ribbon out of her hand. Kasumi jumped at Dante's outburst.

"I traveled halfway around the world, get attacked by demons, stayed in the worst room in the world, to deliver a goddamned piece of yarn?!" He threw the ribbon on the table.

Kasumi was stunned, first over the man's seizure of the ribbon, than of his comment about his battle with demons, and finally when he threw her mother's ribbon in disgust.

She grabbed the ribbon and held it close to her. "Who gave you the box and why?"

"Look, babe. In case you haven't been listening, I'm not exactly in a 'Mister Rogers' mood right now. Besides, I don't like being interrogated, especially by a top-heavy Japanese teenager, okay?"

Kasumi face became a tomato at Dante's remark. Feeling embarrassed and angry, she sputtered as she tried to reply.

"That's got nothing to do with…I just want to know…What's that supposed to mean?!"

Seeing Dante's smirk, Kasumi calmed herself before trying to talk again. "Please sir, this is very important. Who gave you the box?"

Dante looked at Kasumi, seeing the anxiety in her eyes.

"That ribbon must mean a lot to her." He thought.

He took another drink before answering. "Some guy named Donovan."

"Professor Victor Donovan of DOATEC?"

"Yeah, that's the…" Dante paused as he realized the voice that asked did not belong to Kasumi.

He looked over his shoulder to discover a man dressed in a black, leather body suit leaning against a wall with his arms folded over his chest. A hood hid the man's face. All that was exposed was his eyes.

"Who the hell are you?" Dante asked.

"Ryu. What are you doing here?" Kasumi answered Dante's question while giving out her own.

"I was watching over you when I saw him." Ryu replied and turned his attention to Dante. "Tell me, is your name Dante?"

"That'd be me. No pictures, please." Dante snidely remarked before he downed the last of his drink.

Ignoring his comment, Ryu continued. "Dante, the son of Sparda?"

Kasumi's jaw dropped. She had heard about the legend of Sparda from her parents. They used to tell it as a bedtime story when she was little. But she thought it was just a story, nothing more. Now, she could be standing next to the fabled Sparda's son.

Dante frowned. Throughout his life, he had learned that when somebody asks him if he was a child of Sparda, it usually led to trouble.

"You got a problem with my old man? Then talk to him about it, I'm not taking the heat for him anymore." Dante snapped.

"No. You misunderstand. I was wondering if you could possibly help us." Ryu said calmly.

"Us?" Dante looked at Kasumi, than back to Ryu. "What, is she with you? She your girlfriend or something?"

Due to his hood, Ryu's blush was hidden from view. Kasumi's, on the other hand, almost lit up the room.

"We're not like that! We're just friends! Really!" She flustered.

"Whatever." Dante said, seemingly disinterested by the two ninjas bond. "If you want my help, you can forget it. I don't run a charity."

Ryu looked at the ground in disappointment. Who knew that the Legendary Dark Knight Sparda's son could be so heartless?

"But." Dante continued, "If this were a job, I might consider it."

Ryu retracted his statement. Not heartless, a mercenary. At least he was willing now.

"A job? I suppose it could be that. If you're interested, we'll talk more later."

"Like when?" Dante asked.

"Tonight. We'll meet on the roof of the apartment building Kasumi is staying in."

Dante turned to Kasumi, who was also looking at him. "Sounds like we're having a party at your place."

Both turned to Ryu, who was now gone. "What is he, Houdini?" He asked.

"No, he is a ninja…like me." Kasumi stated.

Dante smiled. "A ninja? Yeah, sure. And I'm Captain Kirk." He joked.

His smile faded as he looked at Kasumi who was still staring at the spot where Ryu stood. A look of dread seemed to form on her young face.

Before he could ask anything, Kasumi spoke up again. "Come. I'll show you where I live."

"Hey! I didn't say I'd take the…" He trailed off as Kasumi walked out of the bar.

Hikaru, who had not moved during the conversation, finally spoke up. "What was that all about?"

Letting out an irritated humph, he stood. "Simple." Dante said. "I got a new job."

_Kasumi's apartment building_

_Japan_

_Sunday-7:05 p.m._

Dante watched as the sun made its slow decent from the sky. Atop of the apartment building complex, he had a bird's eye view of Tokyo as the fading sunlight painted an orange hue over the city and sky. High above the hustle and bustle of the city life, one could feel the peace and tranquility.

"Boring." Dante murmured.

Well, most could.

Kasumi sat on the edge of the roof, watching the sunset and the city slowly light up. She would occasionally glance over to the white-haired half-demon as he continued to pace back and forth. She was surprised to discover that the son of the Legendary Sparda was impatient, rude, sarcastic, and overconfident.

"He's not bad looking though." She thought to herself. "What am I saying? I'm not interested in him! Am I?"

"AHH! There I go again!" She yelled in Japanese and slapped her cheeks to regain control of herself.

"What you say?" Dante asked as he finally paused from his pacing.

"Huh?" She asked before realizing that she had spoken out loud. "Oh, nothing. Nothing at all."

She returned her gaze to the city, embarrassment still etched in her face.

Dante studied her closely. "She's hotter in real life than in the picture." He thought. "Although she's acting a bit…odd"

"I see you've decided to come."

Dante turned to discover three new people who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere. One man stood in the open with his arms across his chest. He wore a grey shirt with jeans and a black leather jacket. His light brown hair almost covered his eyes and his face held a stone, cold look. Another man was leaning against the doorway into the main building, his arms, also crossed. Dante recognized the man by his posture as the hooded ninja he met in Hikaru's bar. This time, he wore a simple brown T-shirt with jeans. His dark brown hair was tied into a ponytail and just like the first man, he also had an emotionless face. The third person was a young female who was sitting on the edge of roof. She wore a deep purple tank top with tight jeans. Her purple hair stood out, compared to the brown heads of her companions. A black bandana was tied around her head and unlike the other two males, she seemed irritated and kept making cold glances at Kasumi.

Dante also noticed that her chest was as big as Kasumi's.

"Man, I'm surprised that these girls don't have back problems." Dante thought.

"So, I take it you're the guy that wants my help?" Dante asked the man in the black leather coat.

"Yes. My name is Hayate. I am the leader of the Mugen Tenshin Ninja Clan." He declared. Just like Kasumi and Ryu, this man had a thick Japanese accent, but spoke perfect English.

"Never heard of them." Dante replied.

"Not many people have. My clan and I are fighting the DOATEC Corporation. We were wondering if you would aid us."

Dante made a bemused sound. "Guess your friend didn't tell you that I was working for one of DOATEC's bigwigs."

"He did." Hayate replied, his voice as emotionless as his face. "But I take it you have concluded your business with…Donovan. And I doubt that you are loyal to him or DOATEC."

Dante noticed that Hayate paused before he said the professor's name. Not to mention that he spat it out like it was a nasty tasting beer. He didn't blame him, he did not like the doc himself.

"Hayate." Kasumi meekly spoke up as she stood and faced her brother. "Why? Why are you trying to get more people involved in your war against DOATEC? Haven't enough people died?"

"What are you complaining about?" Ayane roared and got up from her seat. "You didn't see what happened last night when…"

Hayate held up a hand to silence Ayane.

"Last night? What do you mean?" Kasumi asked with confusion in her eyes.

"We were attacked by demons." Hayate tried to remain emotionless. "The village and fortress are gone. Many of our people have died. Including father."

Kasumi's eyes widened. It was too much to take in. The village where she grew up, the fortress that was a symbol of the Mugen Tenshin, her own father, all gone, just like that. She trembled as she sank to her knees.

"No." She faintly whispered.

Ayane felt elated to see the princess shake in fear. But shame quickly replaced her euphoria. She had lost a father, too. Something she would wish on no one.

Dante was drumming his fingers on his leg in agitation. The entire conversation between Kasumi, Hayate, and the purple-haired chick was in Japanese.

"I really wish you guys didn't do that. I feel like I'm being left out." Dante stated.

Ayane whirled her head around and gave Dante a deadly glare. "This doesn't concern you, so shut up! I can't believe we need help from _that_!" Ayane pointed at Dante in disgust.

"Watch it, girly!" Dante bellowed. "I'm not in the mood to take lip from a bratty toddler like you."

Ayane puffed her cheeks, her face became red with anger. "TODDLER?! I'll have you know that this 'toddler' was always in the final five of the Dead or Alive tournaments."

"Oh really? Tell me, did you get a boob-job with your money, or is that a standard prize?"

Ayane charged at Dante with rage burning in her eyes. She stopped when Hayate grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back.

"Don't act so rashly." He whispered.

Embarrassed that Hayate had to scold her like a child, Ayane fell behind her brother, still giving Dante a glare.

"So, what do you want me to do?" Dante asked.

"I need you to find…someone." Hayate's voice wavered slightly.

"I look like the FBI to you? I don't do missing…"

"I need you to find my mother." Hayate interrupted.

Ayane and Kasumi gasped.

Dante froze. Whenever it came to mothers, Dante was always serious.

"What happened to mother?" Kasumi asked, still quivering.

"She's gone. Taken by someone or something. I believed DOATEC must have been involved, and the ribbon that Donovan had Dante give you proves it. The demons that attacked us might have been sent by them as well." Hayate replied.

The mentioning of the demons sealed the deal. "Fine. I'll do it."

"I'm coming with you."

Everyone looked at Kasumi.

"Look, I might have played mailman for this gig, but I draw the line at babysitting." Dante said with irritation.

"Please. I need to find her." She looked at Dante with pleading eyes. She placed a hand on his arm, ensuring she got his attention.

He looked at Hayate. "Does she need your permission or something?"

A melancholy look appeared on Hayate's face. "She…doesn't need my permission…anymore."

Dante frowned in confusion. Hayate seemed upset about something. Ryu was looking at the ground, like there was something on his mind. The purple-haired brat seemed to be seething.

"What's eating them?" He wondered.

"Fine, you can tag along. But we do have a problem. Donovan's paying for my flight back. If he finds out that he's paying for your way, too…"

"Don't worry. I'll find a way." She spoke with confidence.

"Whatever you say." Dante shrugged.

"As for your…payment. I'm afraid we don't have much money." Hayate confessed. While the ninjas always received a large some of money for their high rankings in the tournament, they burned through it rather quickly. Payments for information about DOATEC were insanely steep.

Dante thought for a moment. Money was good, but fighting demons was better. "I'll have to think about that." He said

"Thank you, Dante, for helping us." Hayate politely bowed.

Dante nodded and began to leave. "Wait, Dante!" Kasumi called out. The redheaded shinobi turned to her brother.

"We'll find mother and bring her back." She spoke before dashing to catch up to Dante.

"Do you think he can find her?" Ayame asked.

"Yes." Ryu replied in a monotone voice. "I doubt there is anything DOATEC or the demons can do to stop him from completing his mission."

Ayane snorted. "What makes him so special?"

"He is the son of Sparda." Hayate answered.

"HIM?!" Ayane laughed, "Yeah, right. Everyone knows that Sparda is a fairytale."

"He is real." Ryu stated. "Do you remember a few years back when I left for America?"

Ayane's laughter began to die down. "Yeah, you had to seal up a demon portal that sprang up."

"It was called the Temen-ni-gru. Sparda sealed it two thousand years ago. I left to reseal it, but when I arrived, the tunnel had already been closed. The demon gatekeepers as well as those who had unsealed it where defeated by one man, him." Ryu motioned to where Dante had left.

Ayane stiffened. To reseal a portal to the demon world took an immense amount of power, even Ryu would have difficulty with a sealing ritual. But if that man was so powerful, why was he not in the Dead or Alive Tournament?

"Ayane."

The 'female Tengu' jumped slightly when Hayate called her name. "Yes, Master Hayate?"

"I want you to go with them."

--

Dante looked at Kasumi in the corner of his eye as they descended the stairs. "Something wrong?"

Kasumi looked up at Dante before turning away.

"No. It's nothing." She whispered.

"What's up with you and your brother? It didn't look like you two get along to well." He asked.

Kasumi remained silent for a few moments before answering. "Something happened between us. I'd…rather not talk about it."

"Then what about you and that chick? She was given you the eye the entire time we were there."

"She's Ayane, my half-sister." A pained expression came over Kasumi's face.

"I keep forgetting that I'm not the only one with family problems." Dante bitterly reminded himself.

"If you don't want to talk about that either, that's fine by me." He told her.

"Thank you." She faintly whispered. Dead silence filled the stairwell as they came to Kasumi's room.

"He sure asks a lot of questions. Does he really care, or is it just curiosity?" She thought. It did not matter to her. Even if he were really interested, she would not drag him into her family's problems.

"I'll see you at the airport." She stated, sounding much more energetic.

Dante looked at her in surprise.

"What's with the sudden change? She bi-polar or something?" He thought to himself.

"Don't you want to know the time and place we're gonna meet at?" He asked.

"No. I'll find you. Bye." She waved good-bye and entered her room.

"And people call me strange." He muttered.

_Helena's suite_

_France_

_Sunday-9:22 p.m._

During the night, the cities in France take on a new life. Nightclubs cater to the younger generation as music and drink come in a generous supply. Operas and Theaters host many brilliant and beautiful performances that touch the audience and leave lasting impressions of culture and emotion. But to Helena, the night meant that another day had gone by with her father's corporation still in the hands of greedy merchants of death.

"It won't be long, father." She whispered.

She took another sip of her tea as the glow of her laptop bathed her in its radiant glow. Wearing an elegant, white nightgown, she was too anxious to fall asleep, so she continued her work on the DOATEC mainframe. That and the fear of the reoccurring nightmares made sleeping something she started to dread.

So far, she had discovered quite a few 'interesting' facts about certain board members. Facts she could use to persuade them into early retirement.

A lump formed in her throat at the thought. "I'm no better than they are."

Indeed, as some of the information she uncovered had to do with blackmail. But she pushed the guilt out of her head. It did not matter. Once the members of the board were replaced, she could deal with Donovan, dismantle DOATEC, and rebuild it with a new staff, a new beginning, and a new president.

Helena looked down and retrieved the photo that lay upon her desk. In the photo, a young Asian girl with ebony hair that reached past her shoulders smiled as she wore a breath-taking kimono. In the background, an older woman with brown hair, wearing a simpler kimono smiled along, frozen in mid clap, beaming with pride for her beautiful daughter.

"That used to be me, not too long ago." She sadly whispered. Pictures of her along with her mother hung across the walls, each one full of happiness. Each one now a mere reminder of what was taken from her.

"Kokoro." She thought. "You're so much like me, the old me. But I'll make sure that you won't experience the pain I had to endure."

"When you're ready, when DOATEC is rebuilt, I'll make you into its new president. You'll be perfect."

She was innocent and young. She would grow to become someone respectable and lead the company into a golden age. She would be just like father.

She chuckled. Of course father did have a habit of having mistresses all over the world. She briefly wondered if she had any other sisters or brothers out there she did not know about.

A beep on her computer snapped her out of her thoughts. The laptop was done compiling a list of people who were considered for the Dead or Alive Tournament, but were rejected for various reasons. She hoped that she would find more of DOATEC's corruption, perhaps a fighter that was injured by DOATEC or paid off to become one of their goons. She had noticed that Donovan had been leaving out fighters in the tournament that could be equals to the current roster. She wanted to find out why.

As she scrolled down, she quickly scanned over the fighter's names and why they were unable to join. Most reasons were valid. Some could not join due to an illness, others were not strong enough, and a few were deceased. Others had skeptical reasons. Some refused to join, despite being well-known martial artist, or others had injuries that seemed to last for years. She flagged those files so she could save them and conduct a more thorough investigation.

One file caught her eye. It was marked as 'unable to contact'. Odd, since DOATEC was able to contact the elusive ninjas when the tournaments started, not to mention the publicity the event would generate seemed to draw the other fighters like a moth to flame. She opened the person's file to examine it. Surprisingly, there was very little information. Aside from the location of residence, a brief physical description of him, and his occupation, a mercenary, there was no other data. Even the photo was low-grade as it caught the man as he left his building. She could see no reason as to why this man could not participate. He looked strong enough, but no invitation was ever sent.

"Minimum information, a bad picture, and a dubious reason as to why they won't let you participate." She whispered to no one. "Why? What's your story?"

She placed her elbows on the table and crossed her fingers together. Resting her chin on her laced fingers, she pondered as to why this man and the other fighters listed were kept out of the tournament. She found herself intrigued, especially by the man in the picture.

She faintly read his name aloud.

"Dante."

_The Devil's Library_

_Herein lies the bestiary of the demons in this tale so far_

Damned Ninja-The souls of corrupt and evil ninja transformed by the powers of hell. Materializes in the human world via smoke. Able to move through portals found in the shadows, they attack with swords and throwing stars.

Damned Samurai-The souls of corrupt and evil samurai transformed by the powers of hell. Materializes in the human world via smoke. Their armor is made of metals found in the demon world. Their helmets are their only weak spot and are particularly vulnerable to modern day weapons.

Damned Shinobi-The souls of corrupt and evil shinobi transformed by the powers of hell. Materializes in the human world via smoke. Always female in appearance, they are able to teleport in short distances to confuse their prey.

Damned Shogun-The souls of corrupt and evil shoguns transformed by the powers of hell. Materializes in the human world via sand. Incredibly strong and resilient, they act as commanders and generals for the Damned Shogunate. Wielding pikes, they are not shy about fighting themselves.

The Damned Shogunate-The souls of corrupt and evil warriors of ancient Japan transformed by the powers of hell. Originally, they are used by Oni to battle other demons in the Underworld, now they are waging their unholy war in the human world.

Doku (Reborn)-Once the Lord of the Greater Fiends, he was remade into a full-fledge demon using a forbidden ritual. Infused with the demonic elemental power of the Azure Flame, he commands the Damned Shogunate to do his master's bidding.


	6. home again

A/N: This chapter took a bit longer because I didn't like how some of the dialogue came out. Anyway, I would just like to say thanks for all the readers and reviewers out there, and to let you know, I'm only getting started with this fic. And let me tell ya, I got big plans for it.

Disclaimer: DMC owned by Capcom and DOA owned by Team Ninja and Tecmo. I own a computer…kinda.

Chapter 6. I love this job.

**Dead or Alive 4: The Devil Factor**

**Chapter 6: Home Again**

_DOATEC warehouse C-18_

_Colombia_

_Monday-4:18 a.m._

Downloading file…please wait

Waiting.

In his business, waiting could be lethal.

He scanned the room again as the computer processed the information he needed, one could not be too careful. The place was still the same as he entered, with the exception of two dead DOATEC guards that were carefully hidden in the far corner of the room. The table, a few chairs, and most importantly, the large computer terminal that was his main objective, were still present and in the same place when he entered.

He checked the terminal screen again. Still downloading.

He's rather be doing anything than waiting.

He examined his weapon. The MP5 sub-machinegun still had its suppressor firmly in place. Only two 9mm rounds had been exhausted in order to deal with the guards. Satisfied with the condition of the weapon, he turned his attention back to the screen.

Download complete.

With a press of a button, a disk was ejected from the terminal and pocketed by the large man. On the disk were the files of all the illegal dealings made by DOATEC in South America.

Bayman gave a cold smile as he crept out the door. He was one step closer to exacting his revenge. According to Helena, by exposing DOATEC's corruption, she would be able to dismantle the corporation, thus stripping Donovan of his power. And without power, Donovan would be all his.

As he sneaked his way around the warehouse, the burly Russian thought about the deal he had made with DOATEC's French president. He was unsure about being employed by Helena to kill Donovan. She knew that he had a grudge against the despicable scientist, but she was unaware as to why he did. If she discovered that he was the one who killed her father and then was double-crossed by Donovan, he doubted that his contract with her would last.

If that happened, then his life would get a lot more frustrating. Trying to find and kill Donovan was difficult enough. Having to do so with an infuriated Helena out to kill him would make his dream of revenge stay a dream.

He had thought about letting her know what he did, but when he saw how dead-set she was on her task and her degrading mental health, he decided not to risk it. However, keeping a secret from her that could cost him his life was a dagger over his head.

His thoughts dispersed as he heard voices.

Sneaking closer to the railing, he saw four men in business suits with six DOATEC guards on the ground floor. One of the men he recognized as the head of operations for DOATEC's Colombia division, Luis Guerrero. There were three more men as well, dressed in civilian clothes. One of the men had a large scar that ran from temple to chin. Carlos Almanza, the head of the Colombian mafia.

Carlos and his men were inspecting a crate of AK-47s. One of Carlos's men hefted one of the assault rifles, inspected it thoroughly, and then nodded to Carlos. Motioning to his other man, a briefcase was handed to the DOATEC operations officer. Opening the case, he smiled, and shook hands with Carlos.

"So now DOATEC does gunrunning as well?" Bayman said to himself.

It did not matter to him, but the information could be used against DOATEC. He had a small digital camera with him, incase he stumbled upon more info. Should he risk snapping a photo?

No. He had more than enough incriminating data on the disk.

He prepared to make his exit when he noticed that one of the mafia men was squinting in his direction, like he saw something, but could not quite focus it. Bayman froze where he was, silent and still.

"There's no way he could see me." He thought with confusion.

Bayman was particular in his dress for the assignment. Black clothes, no metallic items that could reflect light, black grease paint smeared on his face. He should be indistinguishable from the shadows that he hid in.

The man continued to stare for a few seconds longer before shaking his head and turning his attention back to overseeing the forklifts moving the crates of guns to a truck outside.

The assassin, unaware that he was holding his breathe, exhaled silently and softly. Close one.

"Hey, who are you?"

Bayman snapped his head around to discover a DOATEC guard halfway out of the bathroom with a newspaper tucked under his arm.

On instinct, Bayman turned his weapon on the man and shot once. The muffled cough of the gun was silent as the round caught the man in the chest.

Unfortunately, while the kill was silent, what happened next was anything but quiet. The man gasped and fell over the railing. A loud crash echoed through the building as the body landed on some of the crates.

In an instant, Bayman became blinded as multiple flashlights were turned on him. His adrenaline spiked as he heard metallic clacks echo through the hollow warehouse. The DOATEC guards were cycling the bolts of their M-16 assault rifles, readying them to fire.

His military training kicked in as he dashed across the 2nd floor walkway and dove back into the computer room, firing his gun to keep the men bellow off balanced.

As soon as he was inside, the doorway exploded as armor-piercing rounds ripped through the wall. He could detect the sound of two different types of gunfire. One was of the M-16s, the other was a sound he knew all too well while he was in the Russian military, the AK-47.

"Sounds like the Colombians are joining in." He darkly commented.

He went over his situation in his head as the gunfire finally ceased. He was outnumbered, out gunned, and trapped in a room with only one exit. In short, he was screwed.

"Well then," He thought to himself, "I'll just have to change the odds."

Before he could implement a plan, the sound of leather footsteps on metal entered his ears. The guards were coming to see if he was dead or not.

Flipping the table over, he took cover behind it and prepared himself.

--

"What's going on?! Why's everyone firing?!" Carlos screamed, his voice thick with a Spanish accent.

"Just a rat, Mr. Almanza, nothing to worry about." Luis calmly replied.

One of Carlos's men yelled to him in Spanish, pointing at a wall on the 2nd floor that resembled Swiss cheese.

"A _commando_?" He yelled in Luis's face. "What the fuck is a commando doing here? If this is a set-up…"

"Let's not jump to conclusions, Mr. Almaza." Luis reassured. "If he is part of a commando squad, than where are the others? He's probably just some lunatic thinking he's a hero or something."

Both men turned their attention upwards as gunfire filled their ears. The flash of rifles being fired lit up the dark 2nd floor room in rhythmic bursts. Then, just as quickly as the firefight started, the room grew dark and quiet.

With a smile, Luis said, "See? Already taken care of."

A few minutes ticked by without incident. Luis's smile faded and was replaced with a mixed look of irritation and confusion. None of the guards that were sent in were coming out.

He turned his head to the nearest guard, "Go check it out."

Before the remaining four guards could carry out their order, a small metallic item was thrown out of the room and landed a few feet from the group of men.

"GRENANDE!" A guard shouted.

As soon as the word left his lips, a blinding flash filled the warehouse accompanied by a deafening boom.

Bayman sprinted out the doorway to take advantage of the momentary confusion. The stun grenade had rendered his enemies blind, deaf, and dumb, but only for a short while. Firing in three-round burst, he targeted the guards first, then the armed mafia men.

As he mercilessly eliminated the temporarily disabled men, he noticed that some of them were getting their senses back. One of them began to fire in his general direction. He quickly dealt with the man, but saw that the others were soon firing as well.

One of the men, however, was sweeping his gun left and right, firing around him. Some of the stray rounds tore into the men around him before he unloaded the rest of his clip into a crate that was near him. A crate stamped 'Grenades'.

The resulting explosion knocked Bayman off his feet as half of the building became incinerated in a fireball. Heat washed over him as more crates exploded in a chain reaction.

"Only on a Monday." He bitterly thought.

When the explosions finally stopped, Bayman slowly returned to his feet, his head still ringing. Ignoring the sharp pain in his arm, he brought his weapon up and scanned the room for hostiles. He saw bodies strewn around the complex, none of them moving. He deduced that those that were still alive when the explosion happened either had every bone in their body broken or were now ash.

Sirens began to become audible. Whether they were police cars, fire trucks, or both, Bayman did not know, nor did he stick around to find out.

_DOATEC International Airport_

_United States_

_Monday-11:22 a.m._

"Thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Dante." The security officer said.

"Whatever." Dante irritably replied. Once again, he had to do the three-hour suitcase check at both airports. It was as if they were surprised he still had his sword and guns with him.

Two security guards came up to Dante, lugging his oversized suitcase, apparently having trouble holding on to it. Their attempt to set it down gently failed as both men collapsed, their breath ragged.

"What's in this thing, lead?" One asked, trying to catch his breath.

"Kinda." Dante responded as he effortlessly picked up his luggage with one hand and walked off.

Dante did not notice the bewildered looks from the security guards, or of the other people who had witness the event. He was preoccupied with something else, or rather, someone else.

"Where the hell is that chick? She said she'd met me at the airport." Dante thought as he trotted down the crowded hallway.

Indeed, Kasumi failed to appear at the Japanese airport and he did not see her on the plane. He thought about waiting for her, but he remembered that Donovan was not expecting her to tag along. And Donovan was no longer the man he was working for.

"Didn't like the guy the second I saw him." He muttered. And from what he had heard of, a lot of other people were not fond of him either.

He came across a pay phone, set his suitcase down, plucked in a quarter, and dialed. After three rings someone picked up.

"_Devil May Cry_. Sorry. We're closed until tonight." A feminine voice answered.

"Hey, babe. It's me." Dante responded.

"Dante? Back already? Well, damn, I was getting used to running the place." Trish joked.

"Ha, Ha. Look, you gonna come get me or not?" He growled.

"Of course. You sound stressed. What's wrong, didn't get any action over there?" She teased.

Dante groaned. He had a feeling that the type of 'action' she was referring to did not have anything to do with fighting. "Not in the mood. I'll see ya when you get here." He replied as he hung up.

"Damn woman always seems to get under my skin." He hissed.

"Who?"

Dante, startled by the voice, spun around and came face to face with Kasumi. She was wearing a white cotton shirt with the word 'Love' written in pink, cursive letters. She wore jeans and tennis shoes that were dyed pink. She held two large bags, both pink.

"Not too hard to guess what her favorite color is." He said to himself.

"Sorry for making you wait. I had…" She paused and looked around to make sure no one was listening. "I had to sneak onboard the plane and hid near the undercarriage."

Dante blinked. Sneak on board with security being as tight as it was? Hide near the aircraft's landing gear for a better part of a day? Well, she did say she was a ninja. It was possible, he guessed.

"You're something else, kid." He muttered.

Kasumi gave Dante a confused look, unsure if he said a compliment or not.

"Well, at least you're here." He said as he picked up his suitcase. "Let's go. Our ride should be here soon."

"Good. The sooner we get this over with, the better."

Once again, a new voice entered Dante's ears. Both he and Kasumi looked to see Ayane standing nearby with her arms crossed. She wore a purple dress shirt that had a few buttons undone, exposing a good portion of her bust. She also wore a black skirt with purple high heels and the black bandana still tied across her forehead. Two purple bags were lying on either side of her.

Dante could see Ayane was getting some nasty looks from some of the women who passed by. Obviously shocked by the way a young girl was dressed so provocatively. Dante had a feeling that the men who were passing by did not have a problem with it.

Neither did he, to tell the truth.

"Ayane. What are you doing here?" Kasumi meekly asked.

Shooting daggers from her eyes, Ayane replied. "I'm here to follow you and make sure the job gets done."

"Whoa! Back that up, now!" Dante said, holding up a hand to stop the conversation. "I agreed to have Miss Pretty-In-Pink tag along, but I don't recall saying that you could come as well."

The purple-haired youth huffed in annoyance, "You're lucky I'm here at all. I'd rather be home. Or at the very least, not being near either of you."

"Then why don't you get a hotel or something and leaves us alone?" Dante angrily asked. "We'd all be happy then."

"I'm supposed to make sure you get the job done right, and that includes watching over you. Besides…" She broke eye contact with Dante and turned her head slightly, a blush forming on her checks. "I don't know anyone here and…I'm broke."

"Great." Dante muttered. "Just what I need. Another moocher."

Before the purple-clad girl could respond, Dante turned on his heel.

"You comin' or what?" He called over his shoulder.

Soon, Kasumi and Ayane were toddling behind the white-haired hunter as they tried to keep up with him while hauling their luggage.

Kasumi glanced over to Ayane who seemed to be avoiding eye contact like her life depended on it.

"Did Hayate really send you here?" The redhead asked in a hushed voice.

"I wouldn't be here unless he ordered it." The younger kunoichi replied, anger and resentment in her voice. "Unlike you, I know how to follow orders and not let my emotions get the better of me."

Internally, Ayane was laughing at herself. If anything, her emotions were the reason she followed Hayate's orders.

Kasumi looked at the ground in sorrow before returning her gaze to Ayane.

"I am sorry that I have caused so much pain, but no one else was willing to stand up for our brother." She explained.

"That was not your decision to make, _traitor_." Ayane spat, finally turning her head to look Kasumi in the eyes.

The pink-clad girl looked desperately at the violet-haired teen. "Sister, I…"

Kasumi saw it coming, but did nothing.

Dante came to an abrupt stop and whirled around as a loud smack echoed through the airport lounge.

Kasumi was sprawled out on the floor, her eyes filled with fright and shock as she gazed at an enraged Ayane. Her delicate hand was placed on a now red check. Ayane stood over her fallen sibling, her own hand trembling at the sting of the blow.

"Don't…you…_EVER_…call me that again!" Ayane growled in Japanese.

Kasumi was dumbstruck. To hear such hatred from someone who was family. When they were little, they were the closest of friends, but when Ayane learned that they were sisters, everything changed.

"Why? I don't hate you." She whispered to herself.

Ayane looked around as she realized that everyone within earshot was now gawking at her. Some in surprise, others in confusion, the rest seemed angered that two young women would come to blows over something.

"What the HELL are you looking at?!" She roared in English, feeling annoyed that people could think that they could watch her like a circus act.

The sound of her voice snapped the onlookers back into whatever it was they were doing, fearful that the girl would grow fangs and attack them.

Grabbing her two bags, Ayane stormed past Dante, grunting out a "Let's go".

"What the hell was that all about?" He thought.

Dante watched as the rage-filled youth continued to walk away. He then turned his attention to Kasumi, who was now sitting up. Still holding her check, she was looking at the ground, her hair covering her face.

The redhead looked up as Dante walked over and offered her a hand.

"You okay?" He asked.

Kasumi nodded in acknowledgement, not trusting herself to talk without bursting into tears and embarrassing herself over her half-sister's outburst.

"It's funny." She dryly thought. "I thought I was over shedding tears about myself."

She took a hold of the outstretched hand and was hoisted up. Dante grabbed one of her bags as Kasumi obtained the other.

The devil hunter began to walk away, but froze momentarily as Kasumi clung to his arm with her free hand and buried her face in his coat's sleeve. Surprised at first, Dante realized that Kasumi was hiding her face. People were still giving odd glances at the scene and she did not want to be put on display.

Leading her away, Dante wondered if this was just a sign of things to come.

--

"Whoa, look at that, man." A punk youth told his friend.

"What? The car or the babe?" The friend asked in a mischievous tone.

A young woman who appeared to be in her early to mid-twenties was leaning against a highly modified, street-racing car.

The car was a Mitsubishi Eclipse that had a custom body kit, spoiler, hubcaps, tailpipe, and hood. The gunmetal colored car had the names and symbols of various car part dealers and companies placed in the front and back windows. Across the sides of the car was the initials DMC written in crimson, cursive letters. The outline of a woman wielding two large pistols was painted on the hood of the car.

The real-life woman had creamy white skin with blonde hair that touched the small of her back. She wore a rather tight, black leather top with no sleeves or straps and black armbands that covered most of her forearms. Wearing tight, black leather pants and black high heels, she seemed to be the personification of nearly every adolescent male's dream girl.

"Hey baby, nice car." One of the youths said.

The woman glanced over to the two teens. With a sly smile, she tipped her sunglasses to expose her baby blue eyes. "Why thank you."

"Can you give us a lift to our place?" The other youth flirted. "We can make it worth your while."

Still sporting her smile, she pushed her sunglasses back up on her nose. "Sorry boys, you're not my type. I prefer tall, dark, and heavily armed."

Both teens lost their smiles and now had looks of disbelief. One began to laugh nervously.

"Oh…oookay. We'll…just be on our way then." One of the teens stuttered, grabbing his friend by the arm and running off. "Let's get outta here, dammit!" He swore.

With a chuckle, she returned her attention to the doorway, waiting for her partner.

A few minutes later, she spotted Dante walking out with irritation on his face. She frowned in confusion as she saw him carrying a pink bag along with his suitcase. Two young Asian girls were walking behind him. One was a redhead who carried another pink bag with a rather nasty looking red mark on her cheek. The other girl had purple hair, carried two purple bags, and seemed to be upset about something.

"Welcome back, hun." She called out, her smile reappearing. "I didn't know you picked up some souvenirs."

Giving a quick glance to the two girls, he replied, "If they were souvenirs, I would have asked for my money back. Pop the trunk, would ja?"

Placing their luggage in the back, Dante prepared to get in the passenger seat when Ayane called out.

"I am not sitting next to her!" She declared, obviously referring to Kasumi.

"That's it!" Dante barked. "One more complaint out of you, and I'll stuff ya in a box and MAIL your sorry ass back home! Got it?!"

Her face turning red, Ayane glared at Dante, preparing to let out a string of obscenities and insults. At the last moment, she decided not to as people were starting to stare again.

"Fine." She grumbled as she got in.

"It's a miracle that I have this much patience." Dante muttered as he closed the car door.

Trish looked over at Dante as she started up the engine. "This from the man whose idea of telling someone he doesn't like to shut up is by jamming a gun in their mouth."

"Hey, it works." He said as the car began to move. "On the smart ones, at least."

As Trish pulled out into traffic she asked, "How come you didn't take your bike here? Although it would have been cramped if those two had to ride with you."

Crossing his arms over his chest, he answered. "Would you leave your car here, unattended for God-knows how long, while you were halfway around the world?"

Silence was her reply.

"Didn't think so."

Nothing more was said until they entered the highway.

Looking in the rearview mirror, Trish could she the redhead sitting behind her, her head bowed and her hands in her lap. She looked sad and distraught. The red mark on her check had only dulled slightly. The other girl sat with crossed legs and her chin in her hand as she looked out her window, lost in thought.

"So." Trish said. "What's the story? Who are these two cuties?"

The girl in pink timidly looked up and spoke. "My name is Kasumi, miss. My brother hired Mr. Dante to…find our mother."

"Trish."

"Huh?" Kasumi squeaked.

"My name is Trish. Don't call me 'miss', it makes me feel old, okay?" She replied with a smile.

The copper-haired teen returned the smile. "Okay."

"What happened to you? Someone hit you?" Trish asked with concern.

Kasumi's smile disappeared as she lowered her head once more. "No. It's nothing."

Giving a curious glance at Kasumi, she could feel that the mousey girl did not want to talk about. But Trish knew she would talk sooner or later.

She glanced at the purple-haired girl, "And you are?"

"Ayane." She flatly replied, never taking her eyes away from the window. "And that's all you need to know."

"Well, aren't you friendly?" Trish sarcastically asked. Ayane let out an indifferent humph.

The blonde-bombshell gave a sideways glance at Dante as she continued to drive. "So, finding lost mothers are you? I thought you didn't like those jobs."

"I don't. But, those two and their brother are supposed to be 'ninjas' and are at war with DOATEC." Dante said, making quotation marks with his fingers as he said ninjas.

"Their mom got kidnapped and the brother wants me to find her." He continued. "I'm only doing this because demons appear to be involved."

"Demons?" Trish asked with interest.

"Yup. Took on a few myself while I was there." He said with a grin. "'Bout time too, seems like forever since we got a case like this."

Trish looked worriedly at Dante before returning her gaze to the road. "Be careful what you wish for Dante." She thought. "Every time you do these missions, you almost get killed. And I don't want to lose you."

_Devil May Cry building_

_United States_

_Monday-12:18 p.m._

Lucia read the letter one more time, praying that she had misinterpreted something, anything to make it untrue. But it was all for not. It was happening. She couldn't believe it. Only a select few knew about it, less knew that it was real, and nobody knew where it was located.

"God help us if…"

The redheaded half-demon cut herself off as the front door burst open. Dante waltzed in with Trish and two young girls trailing behind him. Before anyone could get a good look at her, she quickly slipped the letter in one of her hidden pockets.

"Dante! Welcome back." Lucia greeted. "Did you enjoy your trip?"

"Does a convict enjoy death row?" Dante remarked.

Tossing his suitcase and a pink bag on the sofa, he placed his coat on the coat rack and plopped down in his chair.

"Ahhh. Much better." He sighed with relief, throwing his feet upon the desk.

Ayane looked around the room with a dissatisfied look on her face. "This place is a dump!"

"Don't like it? The exit's behind you." Dante replied in a cold voice.

Ayane said nothing as she took a few more steps in, still scanning the large room. She saw the bodies and heads of demonic-looking creatures hung up across the walls. Some looked like mummified corpses in weird robes. Scythes held up the gigantic body of a creature that resembled the Grim Reaper. The body itself was easily over twelve feet high.

"Hmmm." Ayane thought. "Unless these are fakes, it looks like he's a least a competent fighter." She studied Dante from afar as he informed the red-haired woman who greeted him about his new job and who the two new girls were. "Hayate could be right about him. He could very well be what tips the scales in our favor." Smiling, she returned to examining the demon trophies.

Kasumi was speechless. At first glance, she thought the place looked like a normal room for a young man. A drum set, pool table, jukebox, a huge stereo system, nearly everything that the male species always wanted in life. But when she noticed the bodies of slain demons, she realized that this man was indeed the son of Sparda. Now her attention was drawn to the slew of weapons that were mounted behind the devil hunter.

One weapon was a sanchaku, a nunchaku with three bars. The bars appeared to be made of a cobalt-colored metal, but upon further scrutiny, she saw a cold fog that surrounded the weapon, almost as if the bars were made of ice. Another item that got her attention was a purple guitar. The metal it was made of had an organic look to it. A blade seemed to be tucked into the body of the odd-looking musical instrument. Where there were supposed to be strings, strands of electricity pulsed through the guitar.

"Could these be…Devil Arms?" She thought.

She had heard about the mythological Devil Arms from her grandfather, Burai. They were melee weapons infused with the powers and souls of demons. Obtaining one was extremely difficult, as a warrior would have to fight and slay a very powerful demon. Wielding one was next to impossible since one would have to wrestle with the soul entrapped in the weapon and control it. A feat no human has ever accomplished.

"If he has all these Devil Arms, then he must be a very powerful man indeed. Perhaps he can free mother." Kasumi smiled at the thought.

"All right new girls, listen up." Dante declared, snapping the two kunoichis from their thoughts.

"There's a room that you can have…_for now_." Dante stressed. "It's upstairs, second room to the right."

"The room that Lady would've gotten." He mentally added.

"Who gets it?" Kasumi asked, dreading the answer that she knew would be given.

"Both of you."

"I knew it." Kasumi thought.

"_WHAT_?!" Ayane screamed. "Now you want us to share a room?! No way!"

"In case the lavish décor fooled ya, this ain't the Ritz." Dante mocked. "All I got is one room left."

"It's okay, one of them can have my room." Lucia reassured, breaking up what could have been a nasty argument.

Everyone in the room looked at Lucia with interest.

"Where will you sleep then?" Trish asked.

"I…have to go." Lucia admitted. "So one of them can use my room."

"Where ya goin'?" Dante asked with suspicion.

Lucia paused before answering. "It's a personal matter. I won't be gone too long."

Dante gave Lucia a skeptical look before shrugging. "Whatever."

Lucia smiled. She had learned long ago to look past Dante's façade of indifference. He really did care about her. Of course he would never admit it, but his actions at the Vidu Mali islands spoke volumes.

"So, who wants my room?" She asked, looking over the two new girls.

Both girls remained silent. Ayane looked incredulous about Lucia's offer. Kasumi seemed uncertain about it as well. Finally Ayane spoke up. "I suppose I will."

"Very well, come with me." Lucia motioned for the violet-haired youth to follow her.

"And I'll show you were your room will be." Trish said to Kasumi, taking a hold of the pink bag Dante carried in.

"Oh! Thank you, Trish." Kasumi replied.

Finally alone, Dante let out an irritated and exhausted sign.

"From devil hunter to nanny." He chuckled. "How the mighty have fallen."

_White Shadow Clan Village_

_Japan_

_Monday-12:22 p.m._

Hayate looked at the meal before him. He should eat something, but his appetite since the night of the attack was barely evident. Pushing the meal aside, he stood and paced around the room. He was given a humble hut to stay in. While he did not mind the condition or size of the room, he found it difficult to think in such a cramped space.

His thoughts bounced from one topic to another. The attack, his family, DOATEC, Dante, and his clan, it was all too much. He was multitasking on things that not only could decipher his clan's future, but the world's future as well.

He paused, took a deep breath, and calmed himself. Getting worked up over these subjects would not help. He needed to be calm, collect, and in control. His clan may not be able to aid him now, but he still had options. Options that he had mulled over and decided upon.

"Hayate."

Looking over his shoulder, the Mugen Tenshin Clan leader saw Ryu enter his hut.

"Ryu. Have you news for me?" Hayate inquired.

"No, but I do have a question for you."

Hayate knew what his friend was about to ask.

"I sent Ayane with them because I knew she would not be focused on any other task I would assign to her. I need her focused and if she needs to rescue mother in order to become focused, so be it."

Hayate could sound as cold and professional as he wanted, but Ryu knew the truth. He wanted his mother returned safely as well. He sent Ayane with them to ensure the job would be done, because with Kasumi and Dante with her, success was almost guaranteed.

"You may fool everyone else, Hayate, but I know the real you." Ryu thought.

"Ryu. I need to tell you something."

The Dragon Ninja pushed aside his thoughts and gave his friend his undivided attention.

"I still wish to continue our campaign against DOATEC. But we will need aid."

Ryu nodded in agreement. "The White Shadow Clan could…"

"No." Hayate interrupted. "They are our friends, true. But they are not as strong as us, and I do not want to place them in the crosshairs of our enemies."

Ryu understood. If they had the White Shadow Clan fight alongside them, they could suffer the same fate as the Mugen Tenshin Clan, near annihilation.

"I was thinking that…perhaps we should ask the other tournament participants to join our cause."

Ryu stood dumbfounded. They had no right to persuade the other participants to risk their lives for the Mugen Tenshin Clan. Most of the other fighters had no combat training. They were inexperienced and unprepared for war.

"I know that we should not drag others into our fight that have nothing to do with DOATEC. But if we don't stop them, then DOATEC will continue its evil reign and the others might be thrown into a conflict they cannot win."

Ryu hated to admit it, but Hayate had a point. If left unchallenged, DOATEC would continue to grow and create even more of its genetically engineered abominations. Sooner or later, the other participants would face a crisis that could consume them all.

"How shall we do this?" Ryu asked.

"We'll split up." Hayate said. "We'll search for the others and ask them. If they do not want to join us, then we shall respect their decision."

"Agreed." Ryu responded.

Hayate sat down to eat when a thought crossed Ryu's mind.

"What about Helena?" He inquired.

An uneasy silence filled the room. Finally Hayate answered.

"She has already chosen her path."

_Devil May Cry building_

_United States_

_Monday-12:30 p.m._

Ayane examined her soon-to-be room as she followed Lucia in. It was a rather large room compared to the lodgings she had to endure. There was a king-sized bed near the window and a few dressers against the wall. She gave a prayer of thanks when she saw doors that lead to her own bathroom with shower.

"It's bad enough I have to stay with the princess. Having to share a bathroom with her would probably drive me crazy." She thought.

"I'll just get my things together and you'll have the room all to yourself." Lucia stated as she pulled open a draw and began to remove clothes.

Ayane began to unpack. She set aside her normal attire and began to retrieve her 'work' clothes. Lucia noticed the shinobi suit and gave the small girl a smirk.

"What?" Ayane asked irritably.

"Nothing. I'm just surprised that a small girl like you is really a ninja." She replied as she placed some of her belongings in a suitcase.

"That type of thinking is what causes others to underestimate me." Ayane said with her own smirk. "Then I give them a wake up call by beating them."

Silence filled the room as the two females continued to pack or unpack. Ayane became intrigued as she caught Lucia taking a rolled up cloth out and opening it to reveal dozens of throwing daggers.

"Your gonna have a hard time getting those through customs." Ayane commented.

"I have my ways." Lucia hinted. "You do too, I see."

Ayane knew that she was referring to the different types of kunai and shuriken that she had placed on the bed.

"You a ninja, too?" Ayane asked.

Lucia thought about the question before answering. "Not really. I mean, I guess I could be called that, but my job is a bit different."

"And what job is that?"

"Devil hunter." Lucia answered nonchalantly.

"Like that loud-mouth?" the violet kunoichi asked.

Lucia gave Ayane a confused look before realizing whom she was talking about.

"Oh, Dante?" She laughed. "Yeah, I'm one of his partners."

"What do you see in him? He's such a jerk!" Ayane chided.

Lucia chuckled before answering. "Oh, don't let that get to you. That's just the way he is."

"So why did you join him?" Ayane asked. Normally she would consider the matter irrelevant and did not concern her, but if she was to ensure her mission was a success, she needed to know everything she could about Dante. She learned from Hayate that understanding what a teammate was capable of could be beneficial.

Lucia stopped what she was doing and looked out the window, thinking over about the incident with Arius and Argosax. There were some painful memories, but she had learned to deal with them.

"A few years ago, a madman named Arius came to my home, the Vidu Mali islands. With his corporation, Auroboros, he attempted to resurrect a devil-god that was sealed in the islands, Argosax the Chaos."

Ayane listened carefully as the story had already perked her curiosity. She had heard about the Auroboros Corporation. It was once a major competitor against DOATEC. Then about a year ago, the company suddenly collapsed on itself.

The mentioning of a devil-god drew her in more. She had heard of fiends, demons, oni, and the like, but a devil-god? She had a feeling that it was probably more powerful then the other creatures she mentioned combined.

"I was with an organization called 'The Protectorate.'" The redhead stated. "We were a race of half-demon, half-woman devil hunters. Our job was to protect the islands from men like Arius and ensure that Argosax stay sealed forever."

"Well, my mother, Matier, decided to call Dante for help." Lucia turned to face Ayane. "You see his father was the one who sealed Argosax in the first place, so my mother decided that he would be necessary to fight the demons Arius had brought to our home."

The half-demon female decided leave out the part where Matier also decided that her daughter was not skilled enough to combat all the demons on her own.

"Go on." Ayane pressed, wanting to know more. Hearing about Dante's past battles would be an excellent way to study him.

Unknowing that she had stopped, Lucia continued with her tale. "Anyway, he accepted and fought the demons while I searched for the relics that could break the seal that held Argosax, to make sure they did not fall into evil hands. During my mission, I came across Arius and…"

Lucia trailed off. She was uncertain if she should tell Ayane the truth about herself. In fact, she was unsure as to why she was telling all of this to her in the first place. She had just met her and now she was basically telling the teen about her life story.

Maybe it was that she felt…a connection. She could not describe it. It was like they had shared the same experiences. Or maybe she felt this way because they were both trained in the arts of stealth and assassination. She did not know.

"What? What happened?" Ayane inquired.

Lucia debated over whether to tell the child or not.

"I told her this much, might as well keep going." She thought to herself.

"I discovered that…I was not who I thought I was." She confessed. "I was one of his…creations, a genetically engineered half-demon meant to serve him."

Ayane was taken aback. Created? Someone created a half-demon? If Donovan had that ability then…

"To make matters worse, I was a defect, a failure." Lucia interrupted Ayane's train of thought. "He tried to dispose of me, but my mother found me and raised me as her own."

"After learning about this, I was…depressed…to say the least." She said as she sat down on her bed. "After Dante defeated Arius, I thought it was all over. The only thing left was for me to die."

Ayane listened intently, understanding what it is like to be considered…abnormal.

"I tried to make Dante kill me. I attacked him, pleaded with him to destroy me. I thought myself a monster, one that would turn on the mortals and my own sworn sisters of 'The Protectorate'. But he refused." Lucia stared out the window again as she spoke. "Then, somehow, Argosax broke free. I wanted to fight him and die in the process. But he intervened again."

Lucia cocked her head as she remembered a certain detail.

"Actually, he tricked me." She laughed. "By using a trick coin to decide which of us should go."

"In the end, Dante destroyed Argosax and I had my chance at revenge by killing Arius when we was transformed into a demon himself." She reminisced. "After that, I decided to join him."

"I work with him, because I owe him my life. And not just for saving me from Arius, but myself as well." The half-demon stood and returned to her packing.

Ayane remained motionless as she processed the story Lucia told her. From what she had gathered, Dante had to be a powerful and skilled hunter. However, instead of thinking about how to use Dante in her mission, she found herself going over Lucia's plight during the battle at Vidu Mali. She hated to admit it, but she went through the exact same thing when she discovered who she really was as well. The depression, the denial, even the thought of ending her own life had crossed her mind. She adapted though, and became a stronger person.

At least, that was what she hoped for. She still felt the anger and hatred for her sister, even when she did not want to feel it. She still obsessed over her brother to the point of having fantasies of receiving the same love and attention he had given Kasumi. She wanted him to save her, like Dante saved Lucia.

"NO!" A voice in her mind screamed. "Getting saved is an insult! It shows how weak you are! If he has to save you, you'll lose his respect!"

She somberly agreed with the voice, even though the voice was not hers.

Ayane resumed her unpacking, settled with the thought of being strong and in control of her life. But deep down, she still wanted everything that she did not and could not have.


	7. love and hate

A/N: I toyed with the idea of putting Nicole, the Spartan, in my fic, but since she really was just a guest character that never made it into the story mode, I decided not to. I have been asked a lot of questions about certain characters and groups and if they'll be a part of this story. I wish I could tell you, but that would simply ruin the surprise.

Disclaimer: Capcom owns DMC. Tecmo and Team Ninja own DOA. I own an x-box, a 360, and a ps2. That's about it.

Chapter 7. Still going strong.

**Dead or Alive 4: The Devil Factor**

**Chapter 7: Love and Hate**

_Donovan's laboratory_

_United States_

_Monday-12:39 p.m._

"So, Ayane is with them as well?"

"Yes. The report stated that she stowed away and made contact with Dante at our airport. The same for Kasumi."

"…"

"I know I said that Kasumi would most likely come with him, but I did not expect that…"

"It doesn't matter. Even if the other two decided to tag along, our plan would still be unchanged."

"I suppose. I must say though, kidnapping their mother and making them run around on a wild goose chase looking for her. Not to mention destroying their clan. You have crippled our enemies in quite a sinister manner."

"I only did this because killing them will make our plans more difficult to implement."

"True. I do have one question though."

"What is it now?"

"Are you sure it was a good idea to place her so close to them? I mean, we could move her here where…"

"It does not matter where we hide her, she will be found by him."

"What? But, I thought…"

"You forget, Donovan. Dante and the kunoichis seem to have a habit of finding things that they are not supposed to."

"…"

"In the end, as long as we obtain the jewels, they will not be able to stop us."

_Helena's suite_

_France_

_Monday-1:03 p.m._

"Godhicdamn it."

Helena found herself slumped over the toilet for the third time that week, and it was only Monday.

She had been eating her lunch while working when the memories came flooding back. This time, the trigger was the tea she had been drinking. Earl Grey, her mother's favorite.

"Now simple smells and tastes are setting me off." The French beauty muttered. "Like I didn't have a hard enough time controlling it before."

Standing on two shaking legs, she retrieved the pills from the cabinet and swallowed two. She hated having to rely on drugs to keep her from going insane with grief. She hated falling apart in an instant. She hated seeing her life being destroyed everyday in her mind. And she hated not being able to stop it.

"But I will go on." She told herself. "I will finish what I have started."

Exiting the bathroom, she discovered that the information she had requested had finally finished downloading. Taking her seat, she reached for her tea. She paused as the teacup barely touched her lips. Fear spiked in her heart as the thought of a repeat of what she just went through crossed her mind. She pushed the fear out of her mind and she took a sip. Aside from the tea having cooled a bit during her hurried trip to the restroom, nothing happened. With a sigh of relief, she went over the data as she continued her meal.

She had grown more interested with the man called Dante. Her attempts to find more data about him had, so far, proven unsuccessful. Everyone else on the list of rejected fighters had a thorough report about him or her.

As she opened the file, she groaned in frustration. All her search had provided was a few newspaper articles and testimonials. Upon further scrutiny, however, she saw that the information that was now given to her held some very interesting stories.

The first article was dated back a few years. It reported on how a city in America was mysteriously destroyed. Officially, the authorities announced that a freak earthquake annihilated the city, but many of the survivors claimed to have seen an enormous tower emerge from the ground. Others also reported seeing strange lights and sounds coming from the tower. One man was committed to an asylum. He kept stating that he saw demons and that a 'strange creature' circled around the tower.

She did not know why this article came up until she noticed the last paragraph. Many people claimed to have seen a young man with a large sword, white-hair, and a red coat enter the tower not once, but twice, the second time by driving a motorcycle _up _the tower.

The second article was about an island sinking into the ocean. The Mallet Island was a small landmass that held an ancient castle that was supposedly haunted. Fisherman that were near the island said that two people, a man and a woman, came to the island hours before it sank. When it did sink, another group of fisherman reported seeing an old bi-plane leaving the island with two people on board. The woman was a young blonde. The man, however, fit Dante's description.

The third article was one she knew, the story about the Auroboros Corporation's sudden collapse. Arius had moved his corporate headquarters to the Vidu Mali islands for almost no give reason. Then a few years later, his company collapsed and the city he created was virtually destroyed. No reason for either occurrence was given. Like the city in America, survivors reported seeing demons and, once again, a man fitting Dante's description.

"Two cities destroyed and an island sunk. Looks like you cause a lot of trouble." She smirked.

She noticed that in all three cases, there was mentioning of the paranormal. She cocked an eyebrow at the assumption of demons and haunted castles. To her, things of the supernatural were absurd.

Taking a sip of her soup, she processed her new findings in her head. This Dante fellow was proving to be a fascinating character. Showing up at places that get demolished. Being linked to demons and such. Yet, despite all of this, she was left with more questions than answers.

She had exhausted everything the Internet and the DOATEC mainframe could provide. She needed more information about him. There were too many questions about Dante, too many lose ends. She could almost feel certain that Donovan was covering up something about him, something that could put the professor in a tough spot, which was exactly where Helena wanted him.

The opera star stood and walked out onto her patio and watched the city went on with its daily routine of work and toil. With her tea in hand, she brought it up to her lips as she continued to think about what she should do next. A difficult decision faced her. On one hand, the secret of Dante could be a major breakthrough that could help oust Donovan from his position of inscrutable power. On the other hand, all of this could be a colossal waste of time, which could be better spent on the proven facts that she had on hand.

She knew she should return to her mission in life instead of running after this mystery man. DOATEC had to be taken down. There was no other purpose in her life. But Dante was…a puzzle. An enigma that seemed to call out to her, beg her to uncover the truth. She was given a taste of him, the events that he most likely had a huge part of. Giving up on her quest for answers of the white-haired man was like giving up on a jigsaw puzzle before completing it, not knowing what the picture would be.

An hour passed as she wrestled with a decision. She weighed the pros and cons of continuing her investigation and came to a conclusion.

Dante was an intriguing individual, but her mission came first. DOATEC was much too important for her to ignore while she continued playing private eye.

"Maybe I'll find out who you are some other time." She whispered. A promise she doubted she could keep.

She returned to her computer, deleted her findings of Dante, and began to examine the files of the board members she uncovered.

_Devil May Cry building_

_United States_

_Monday-10:52 p.m._

Dante gazed up at the ceiling as he lay on his bed. He decided to close the store until he had finished with his current assignment. With nothing better to do, he went to bed to catch some sleep that he had missed during his trip to the land of the rising sun. But with everything that was happening, sleep was the last thing on his mind.

He sighed in frustration as the 'incident' during dinner that night replayed in his head. When he ordered pizza, the brat, Ayane, exploded. She yelled and complained about how he seemed to only order pizza. Then she moaned about the strawberry soda that Kasumi bought and said something about her sister having a 'strawberry fetish'. What really seemed odd about it though, was that during the meal, he could have sworn that the purple-loving teen was looking at him when he was not noticing. He highly doubted that she was giving him flirting glances. It felt more like the way a scientist looked at a bug in a jar. She was studying him, but why?

"That chick is messed up." He murmured.

Trying to think of something else, he began to wonder about Lucia and her sudden departure. It was not like her to just up and leave like she did. Not to mention that she seemed…upset about something. She acted like she was all right, but he could tell when something was bothering her. He pondered if he should have said something, but he had the feeling that Lucia would not tell him the truth. Besides, she could take care of herself. She did not need him to play 'big brother.'

First his trip to Japan to give Kasumi her mother's ribbon, then his job to find her mother, and now Lucia going away for God knew how long for a reason she would not give. Something was not adding up, and he had a feeling that, somehow, the events were connected.

"What's goin' on 'round here?" He whispered.

He sat up when his front door opened, his thoughts scattered.

"Did I wake you?" Trish asked as she slowly entered the room.

"Nah. Not really tired, anyway." Dante replied. "Did ya drop off Lucia at the airport?"

"Yeah." Trish answered in a hush voice.

"Did she say where she's goin'?"

"No."

"Figures." He grumbled. He then noticed the dejected look on her face.

"Somethin' wrong?" Dante inquired.

"No…Yes. Well…" Trish fumbled with her words.

Dante waited as his blonde partner tried to find the right words for what she was going to say.

"It's just…I don't…I don't like this whole deal, you know? It just feels…wrong." She confessed.

"I know what'cha mean. But, look on the bright side, now we got a case worth getting out of the store for." Dante encouraged.

"I'm scared, Dante!" Trish blurted out. "I'm scared of what might happen! Of what might happen to you!"

Dante looked at her with surprise. Her outburst caught him off guard. She was apprehensive at times, but she never told Dante that she was flat out afraid of anything.

Trish closed the door behind her. "I don't want to lose you, Dante."

Dante found that his ability to speak was currently out of order as Trish sat beside Dante on the bed. Remaining motionless, Dante listened to his partner as she continued.

"I still think about the time when you saved me, even when I betrayed you." She reminisced, "You showed me kindness, even though it was only because I…"

She could not continue as the thought of their fateful encounter after Dante's final battle with Mundus's bio-weapon, Nightmare, provoked emotions that she tried her best to hid. Her shoulders began to tremble. Dante reached out and placed his arm around her.

"Hey, don't get all misty-eyed on me." The devil hunter smiled. "I know what I said to you after my fight with that demonic-powered pile of sludge, but I forgave you, didn't I?"

Returning the smile, Trish wiped away the tears. "Thank you."

Dante laid back down as Trish got up to leave.

"Wonder why she got all emotional about this job? Probably her time of the month or something." He thought.

His smile disappeared as he heard his door being locked. Jolting back up, he saw Trish walking back to his bed. Trish's face was a mixture of melancholy, worry, tension…and lust. She crawled onto the bed. Dante was taken aback as Trish's face was now only inches away from his own.

"T..Trish? What are you…?"

The platinum-haired hunter's words died as he felt a pair of lips pressing against his own. Dante's body became rigid. Then slowly, he relaxed and deepened the kiss. Her heart pounding, the blonde woman tilted her head and slipped her tongue into her beloved's mouth. Licking the roof of his mouth, she pushed the half-demon on his back and straddled him. She broke the sensuous kiss and sat up. With deliberate slowness, she removed her leather top and exposed her naked torso to the cool air. Dante, sporting a cocky grin, pulled the amorous woman back on top of him to renew the kiss, all the while exploring her warm skin with his hands. He felt Trish's thin fingers run through his hair, occasionally scratching his scalp.

"She's never done this before." His mind raced. "_We've_ never done this before. A kiss here and there, but nothing this far."

Feeling her breasts against his bare chest, he held her closer as the kiss became even more heated. Trish broke the lip embrace again, this time planting smaller kisses on his cheeks, neck, and chest. She traced her tongue along his collarbone. Dante closed his eyes and groaned with pleasure as she began to nip at his neck and ears. Hovering over him to continue their make-out session, Dante opened his eyes.

And saw his mother's face.

Trish yelped in surprise as she was suddenly pushed off her partner's body and almost off the bed.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Trish angrily asked, her voice still choked with arousal.

Her anger dissipated when she beheld Dante. He was sitting up right, his body drenched in sweat and trembling slightly, his breathing irregular. At first she thought his condition was from the intense embrace they shared, but her opinion changed when she saw the expression on his face. He looked like he had seen a ghost.

Her heart sank when she realized what had set off his sudden panic attack.

"No wonder he looks frightened." She mentally stated.

Fear. Of all the words that could be used to describe the rowdy half-demon, afraid was not one of them. Yet she had caused the man that she loved with all her being to quake in fright.

Trish watched nervously as Dante got up, placed his boots and shirt back on, and made his way to the door. He reached for the doorknob to unlock it when a pair of arms encircled his chest from behind. He froze as Trish pressed herself to his back.

"Don't go." She pleaded, he voice wavering. "Please…don't go. I'm sorry that I scared you. Just…please stay here…with me."

Dante's hand trembled slightly at hearing Trish's pleas. He did not want to go. He wanted to stay. But it was just…wrong. It was wrong! He knew that Trish was not his mother. But sometimes when he looked at her, that was all he saw, his mother. How could he love someone in that way when they were essentially his mother's twin? It was not her fault, but that did not help ease the tension between them.

Trish's hold on him tightened. He could feel the dampness on his back where her face was buried, giving away that she was crying.

"Breakin' the heart of the woman closest to me. Aren't I a regular Casanova?" Dante mentally criticized.

Despite his overwhelming urge to turn around and hold the upset demoness, he still felt shaken up over what had happened. He was in no mood to give the comforting that she wanted. He gently pried himself lose from her grip and opened the door.

"Sorry, babe." He whispered.

Trembling, Trish sank to the ground as the man she loved left.

A sad smile crossed her lips as she held herself. "It's not fair. How can I make him happy when I'm a constant reminder of what he lost?"

She laughed bitterly and mentally cursed her creator, Mundus, for giving her a face of someone Dante loved, but would forever haunt him.

"Damn it." Dante muttered. "Why did this have to happen? Like I wasn't pissed off enough with this job."

Entering his office, Dante retrieved his coat and handguns. Securing his firearms in their holsters, he made his way to the front door.

"I need a drink." He confessed. "And, just this once, I hope someone picks a fight with me. I _really_ need to blow off some steam."

Dante opened the door, and froze. Something was wrong. The alarms in his head were going off, big time. In a blur of motion, he spun around, brought Ivory out, and pointed it at the intruder.

"It's not nice to enter unannounced, ya know." Dante stated.

A few feet from him, a man stood, almost the same height as him. He wore an old Victorian-era style suit. His dark green coat came to his knees, as did his equally dark green boots. His shirt and pants were of a lighter green color. His rather enormous bowtie matched the color of his coat and boots. Both of his white-gloved covered hands rested atop a golden tipped cane. On his head were a dark green top hat and a pair of circular frame sunglasses. A rather goofy looking grin was plastered on his unusually pale face.

Dante smiled back. He could almost smell the demon on the guy.

"Good evening, my good sir." The demon bowed and used one hand to take his hat off in a respectful gesture, revealing his bald, shiny head. The demon's voice was somewhat high-pitched and held a sort of malevolent tone. "My apologies for my abrupt arrival."

"Yeah, well, call next time."

"Pardon my frankness." The demon said, standing tall again and returning his hat to his head. "But you are the son of the Legendary Dark Knight Sparda, are you not?"

"No. I'm the son of Ronald McDonald."

"Ah! I see the rumors are true! A skilled hunter of demons _and_ a jester! How simply marvelous!" The demon replied giddily, clapping his hands in amusement.

"Glad I made your day. Now who the hell are you and what do you want?"

"Oh! How terribly rude of me! Please accept my most sincere apologies!" The demon placed a hand over his heart in angst. Dante doubted he was being genuine about his feelings.

"Allow me to properly introduce myself. I am called Gentleman." He repeated his bow of respect. "And I am here to deliver a most important message to you, son of Sparda."

"Oh? And what message is that?" Dante asked, still pointing Ivory at the ambiguously polite demon.

"It is about the woman you seek." Gentleman replied in his singsong voice. "The mother of those two lovely young ladies that you have in your care."

Dante lowered his pearl-colored gun, but kept it in his hand.

"I'm listening." He said, crossing his arms.

"The dear woman, Miss Ayame, if I recall her name correctly, is in this very city." The antiqued dressed demon stated, twirling his cane in one hand.

"Where, exactly?" Dante watched as his uninvited guest moved closer.

"Now, now." The demon cooed, wagging a finger in a playful manner. "That, my half-demon friend, is for you to find out for yourself."

In an instant, Dante closed the gap between them and jammed the barrel of Ivory into Gentleman's forehead.

"Piece of advice, bud. Never argue with a man with a loaded gun."

"Dually noted." The grinning demon replied, seemingly ignorant of the giant handgun pressed to his head. "But I'm afraid that that's all the information I can give you for the moment."

"Perhaps I didn't make myself clear. I said…"

Dante blinked. Not only was Gentleman gone, but also Ivory.

"What the…?" He whispered, looking at his now empty hand.

"Now, now. Violence is never the answer, my good sir." A voice said behind him.

Dante whirled around. Gentleman held Ivory in one hand while the other clutched his cane. Before Dante could respond, Ivory was tossed back to him. Snatching it in mid-air, he brought it to bear on the demon…who was absent once again.

"So sorry to cut our little chat short, but it's obvious that you are in a rather foul mood. We'll pick up where we left off later. Until then, goodnight and good-bye, my good sir." Gentleman's voice echoed in the room.

"Nut-job." Dante growled. Not once during their 'chat' did that goofy grin fall from his face. This 'Gentleman' reminded him of a certain clown he met in the Temen-ni-gru. And like that psycho, he felt an immediate dislike for the new green wearing demon.

"Well, at least he told me something useful."

_Abandoned building_

_Brazil_

_Monday-11:15 p.m._

'Mafia attack on DOATEC! Over 20 people dead!'

Bayman almost laughed at the newspaper headlines. DOATEC had a knack for twisting the facts into their favor, but their efforts with this story was comical at best. Most of the 'facts' that were printed were either fabricated or twisted in the extreme.

Throwing the paper on the table in disgust, he glanced at his laptop. The data he retrieved was still being decrypted. Technically, he was supposed to hand it over to Helena and let her worry about it, but his flight to France was not until tomorrow, and he was bored out of his skull since he could not leave his temporary hideout. True, no one who saw him in the warehouse that night was alive and he was in another country, but most of DOATEC's higher-ups knew him and the threat he posed. He could not risk being caught now.

With a sigh, he stood to check his bandages. He received a few scrapes and cuts from the untimely explosion, but nothing too serious. It was a close call though, a _very_ close call. If there were more explosives in that warehouse, he doubted he would have walked away with a few injuries. In fact, he doubted he would have walked away at all.

Sitting back down, he decided to examine the information that had already been decrypted. With a few keystrokes, a data sheet popped up on the screen filled with names, addresses, phone numbers, and such.

Bayman studied the information thoroughly. Some drug deals, gun running, blackmail, payoffs, the usual happenings of a corrupt corporation. He scrolled down. Human slave trafficking? That should catch some attention.

One file caught his eye. It was labeled 'home owner's insurance', but the money involved was almost in the billions. He opened the file and became even more confused. Inside was a list of politicians, landowners, and various other individuals. Beside each one was a list of what they owned and an amount of money that seemed to be of much greater value than the property they owned. What was this all about?

Scanning through the list, he recognized some of the property names. Some were part of historical landmarks and government protected land that held ancient temples. He began to think that these were just some underhanded deals to purchase land for DOATEC's personal use, but why? None of the properties were only valuable in the historical sense, not commercial. Backtracking out of the file, he continued searching through the disks contents, hoping to find some sort of explanation. He found a sub-file that was linked to the file of government and private held land. He opened it only to find photographs of three inconspicuous jewels. Each one had a name underneath it. The Jewel of the Forbidden, The Jewel of the Forsaken, and The Jewel of the Forgotten.

Bayman cocked an eyebrow inquisitively. Did DOATEC buy those lands to search for these jewels? They looked valuable, but they were probably only worth a few thousand each. Chump change compared to the billions that DOATEC racked in annually. There had to be something else. He scanned through the other files that were open to him, but came up with nothing.

Leaning back in his chair, he wondered if this had any real relevance to what he was trying to accomplish. True, the under the table dealings DOATEC made could be used against them, but there was something in the story that did not add up.

"It doesn't matter." He thought. "Whatever scheme that DOATEC is trying to do, it has nothing to do with me."

He retrieved his newspaper and picked up where he left off.

_Devil May Cry building_

_United States_

_Tuesday-11:44 a.m._

A sleepy Dante trotted down the steps as hunger had finally waked him a few minutes ago. Yawning and stretching, he made his plan for the day. First food, then a shower, and if he felt like it, back to bed.

His lack of energy for the day was due to his late night barhopping. After his run in with Gentleman, he decided to take some of the tension away by having a few drinks. Those 'few drinks' included several rounds of tequila, six beers, and vodka that could strip paint. Despite his half-demon blood, which allowed him to forgo a hangover, he could still get drunk.

"Nothin' gets ya through the day like a cold…WHOA!!"

Dante yelped as his left foot slipped as soon as it touched the floor. Almost losing his balance and falling off the steps, he reached for the handrail to steady himself.

"What the hell?!"

Still holding on to the rail, he placed his foot back on to the floor to investigate its slipperiness. His boot skidded off again, but was able to find friction on his third attempt. Slowly placing both feet on the floor, he noticed the floorboards were unusually shinny.

"Did someone wax 'em?" The curious hunter thought.

He decided to check the office to see if the entire ground floor had received a wax job. His eyes became as large as dinner plates when he entered the large room. The floor did get cleaned, but so did nearly everything else. All the empty pizza boxes and beer bottles were gone. The balls on his pool table were neatly arranged into a triangle with the cue ball placed were it needed to be. His desk was neatly tidied-up. Everything in the room appeared to have been dusted, cleaned, and organized.

Well, almost everything. He noticed that his trophies and weapons were left alone.

"What happened?! Did I do this? Usually when I get drunk, I destroy the place." He whispered to himself.

A faint smell wafted into the room and was soon detected by the half-breed. Taking a few sniffs, he realized that it was something cooking. Something delicious.

He entered the kitchen and did his best not to scream in surprise. He barely recognized the place. It had received the same treatment his office did and then some. It was clean to the point of almost sparkling. Everything was organized with care. Also, various appliances were placed about the room that he did not recognize as his own.

"A toaster?! I never bought a toaster!" He declared.

"Oh! Good Morning, Mr. Dante." A sweet voice said politely.

Dante jerked his head to discover Kasumi cooking something on the stove. She was dressed in a milky pink shirt and blue jeans. A frilly pink apron was tied to her with a heart sewn on the front. Her copper hair was tied into braids and held together by a yellow ribbon. A smile of pure bliss was adorned on her face.

"Yeah, mornin'." He replied skeptically. "Did you…clean this place?"

The youth nodded enthusiastically and returned to her cooking. "Yep. I thought about it last night and I realized that you had to go out of your way to take Ayane and me in. So I thought I'd make it up to you by doing some house work."

Dante noticed that her voice wavered when she spoke her sister's name.

"So…you did all this, today?" He asked.

Kasumi nodded again. "I wanted to get the upstairs rooms done, too. But you were still sleeping, and I didn't want to wake you."

Dante processed all she said in his mind. "She did all this cleaning between when she woke up to now? And she could've done the second floor if I wasn't there? Who is this kid, Mr. Clean's daughter or somethin'?"

He watched as Kasumi stirred the four pots and pans that rested on the stove, tasting each one to make sure they were just right. The way she was dressed and how she was acting, it reminded him of how a mother would prepare a meal.

"She looks…happy. But, why do I feel like she's hiding something from me?" He thought.

"Lunch should be ready shortly." She announced.

"Sorry about missing breakfast." He said as he sat down at the table.

"That's ok. Trish was gone when I got up and…well, I think Ayane's still in her room." She commented.

A pang of guilt shot through Dante's heart. He wondered if his golden-haired partner was still upset over last night. He also noticed for the second time that Kasumi's voiced wavered when she said Ayane's name.

Taking a deep breath, he began a conversation he knew that even he would feel uncomfortable about.

"Look. I know I said that we wouldn't talk about this if you didn't want to, but the little incident at the airport tells me that you two are going to be at each other's throats. Or at least she's gonna be at yours."

Kasumi's body stiffened slightly. She quickly relaxed back into her posture. "It's…nothing. Really. Just a family thing."

"Boy, that sounds familiar." He coldly thought.

"Normally, I don't get involved in shit like this, but if you two are gonna work with me, I need to know that you can at least function without me playing referee."

The Asian teen remained silent, still tending over the food.

"What happened?" He asked firmly.

Kasumi's mind raced as she continued preparing lunch. She knew better then to get outsiders involved in family issues. But Dante had a point. So far, he had to act as a buffer between Ayane and herself. It was unfair to have him caught in the middle and be ignorant of why there was such tension between the two sisters. On the other hand, informing him of the tragedies that had befallen her and her clan might propel him further into a predicament that he should not be a part of in the first place.

She stirred one of the pots and gave a quick glance in Dante's direction. His faced showed that he would not take no for an answer.

With a sigh, she decided to tell him. After all, he was helping them find mother.

"A few years ago, our clan was attacked by one of our outcasts. He wanted a secret technique that only our clan knew about. We tried to stop him, but he found the technique…and crippled my brother."

Dante noticed that she trembled slightly.

"Hayate was supposed to be our next clan leader, but with his injuries as bad a they were, I was named successor." Kasumi placed a lid on a pan and turned to face her half-demon ally.

"But I couldn't accept it." She confessed, a mixed look of fear and anger in her eyes. "The clan decided not to go after the man who hurt my brother and stole our most sacred technique. They decided to just cover it up and forget the whole thing happened. But I wasn't going to accept it."

Her voice grew in volume and became intense. " I abandoned my position and went after him. I would not allow him to get away with such a crime. I joined the first Dead or Alive tournament and defeated him."

The courage and determination began to seep out of her as she continued. "But instead of returning home, I was labeled a runaway, a traitor. The clan saw my actions as defiance against our code. They began to send assassins after me, with Ayane as a sort of leader for them"

She broke eye contact and turned her head slightly to the left. "When Ayane and I were children, we were unaware that we were related. But despite that we became friends, almost like sisters. But when she learned that we were actual sisters, everything changed."

She turned and made her way to the fridge. "You see she's my half-sister. The man that almost killed my brother and stole the technique was her father." Opening the fridge she retrieved a gallon of milk. "He…forced himself on my mother when father was away. When Ayane was born, she was given to the Hajin Mon sect of our clan, to be raised in secret."

Walking back to the stove, she poured the milk into a cup. "We didn't know we were related until later, when mother confessed to her. After that, she began to hate me. I think…I think she hates me because I was always the favorite in our village while she was looked upon with contempt. She might see my desertion as a chance at revenge."

She set the milk down with a shaking hand as the memories of her fights with Ayane and her clan resurfaced. "I don't hate her though, and I think that makes her more angry. She probably thinks I pity her."

Her body jolted as a hand was placed on her shoulder. She relaxed slightly as she realized it was Dante. The contact felt…nice. It reminded her of how when Hayate was still young, he would only seem to express his emotions through a simple touch like a hand on a shoulder, and even then he would blush like crazy. She almost giggled when she remembered how embarrassed he would become when she hugged him in public.

Neither person spoke for sometime. Dante knew all too well about family problems. He needed to talk to Ayane though. After all, Kasumi was only half the problem, and it looked like the younger sister was the real challenge.

"You gonna be okay?" He asked.

Kasumi weakly nodded. She poured the milk into one of the pots and placed the lid on top. A small smile appeared on her face. She was still cooking as she told the snowy-haired demon about the tragedy of her family. But she did not feel as bad as she usually did. Perhaps cooking had a sort of therapeutic affect.

"Well, I'll go get your sister, tell her lunch is ready." Dante announced as he removed his hand and walked away.

Kasumi nodded and returned to the stove. A few seconds later her back straightened as a thought crossed her mind. What if Dante told Ayane that she told him the secret of her birth? She wanted to go after him, beg him not to breath a word of what she had just said to him. But she did not. She felt like she could trust him.

She touched her shoulder where Dante had placed his hand. "Why do I trust you? Why do you seem so…familiar?" She thought.

--

Ayane's blush would not seem to go away. She had experienced the feeling before, but it always went away. Exercising, a cold shower, training, whenever the feeling arose, doing those activities always helped. But this time, none of them did the trick.

She had woken up with the feeling, the urge. Her morning exercises did not sooth the desire, nor did her training session with her kunais. A cold shower was what led her to…the situation. When she thought the shower had helped, she made it hot. A mistake. The sensation returned, stronger than ever. It was too much to bear. Instead of returning to an icy temperature, she gave in and snaked her hand down her belly until…

"Damn it! Damn it! DAMN IT!" She mentally shouted, curling into a fetal position on the bed. "What is WRONG with me?! Why couldn't I fight it?! WHY?!"

To make matters worse, while she was…pleasuring herself…she thought about…him, her own brother. It was not right! To think of a blood-relative in such a way was an insult to both her and him. She had disgraced herself. But…when it happened, it felt so…wonderful. To think that she was beginning to love her brother more than she should.

"Kami, why does this happen to me?" She whispered. It was just too confusing for her. She would always love Hayate no matter what, but now she loved him in a different way.

Tears began to stream down her face. She wanted the feelings to go away. They were corrupting her, twisting her mind, making her believe in things that she knew would never happen, even though they made her feel…happy, just for a few minutes. To have all the pain and torment in her life simply disappear, even for a moment, was a blessing for her.

A knock on her door snapped her back into the real world. She jolted out of bed and tried to wipe the tears away.

"W…who is it?" She called, cringing at the meekness in her own voice.

"It's me. Can I come in?" Dante asked.

She trembled slightly at the thought of the arrogant man catching her in such a weakened state. She quickly threw on some clothes and unlocked the door. Dante walked in to find Ayane wearing a white tank top and purple shorts. Her face was beet red and her eyes seemed a bit puffy, like she had been crying.

"You okay?" He asked.

"I'm…I'm f…fine." She stuttered, turning her back to Dante.

"What do you want?" She irritably asked.

"Just thought I let ya know that lunch is ready." He answered in a carefree tone.

He looked about the room as Ayane made her bed. The place looked a bit bare. No posters, no pictures, no electronics, not even a stereo. She was too much like Lucia. She did not bother with things to fill out her room either.

"I'm not hungry." Ayane said flatly.

"Whatever." Dante watched as she began to search her dresser drawers for something to wear.

Ayane could feel Dante's eyes on her. "Unless you want something else, leave me alone."

Making a bemused sound, Dante replied, "You remind me of my brother."

The kunoichi froze. "What?"

"My brother." He repeated. "He had a no-bullshit attitude too."

"A brother?!" She thought, "He has a brother?! Oh, great! Like one wasn't bad enough!"

"So, what's up with you and your sister?" Dante inquired.

He almost yelped as he felt himself being pulled down by his shirt collar. His face was now inches away from Ayane's.

She looked squarely into Dante's icy-blue eyes. "Don't you _dare_ call that bitch my sister, got it?"

A smug look appeared on Dante's face. "A bit testy, are we?"

Ayane growled and pulled him closer, their noses now almost touching. "Don't fuck with me, asshole." She hissed.

The smile never fell. "I hated my brother, too."

"What?" Ayane whispered, not anticipating such an answer. She kept her hold on Dante's shirt, but allowed him to pull back somewhat.

"When my mother died, we went our separate ways. When we saw each other again, well, he was on one side and I was on another."

The purple-haired teen became intrigued. "What…did you do?"

He did not answer. He gently pried lose Ayane's grip and made his way to the door.

"You killed him, didn't you?" She asked in a hushed voice.

Dante stopped in front of the door, but kept his back to her. "If it makes you feel any better, he was trying to kill me."

The blush on her face finally faded as the color drained from her face. She could not reply to that. It was strange. For years, she wanted to kill Kasumi, feel her blood on her hands. But when she heard Dante talk about killing his own brother, it made her feel sick to her stomach.

"I know that you want to kill your sister."

Ayane jerked her head back up at Dante's words. "How does he…? Oh, that _BITCH_! She probably told him!" She told herself as anger bolted through her body.

Looking behind him, the half-breed could see Ayane boiling in rage. He decided to give her a piece of advice to calm her.

"Let me tell ya, killing a family member isn't what you call a satisfying experience."

Ayane's anger died suddenly. She did not know how to respond. She wanted to yell at him, to tell him that he did not know what she was going through, but he did. He had been there. He had killed his own blood.

He opened the door to leave when he heard Ayane speak up.

"Do you miss him?"

"Huh?"

The violet female shifted uncomfortably. "I mean, do you miss your brother?"

The red loving hunter paused for a moment before answering. "Would you miss yours?"

Ayane began to tremble. Of course she would miss her brother, but to actually have to lose him was an experience she never wanted to happen. The very thought almost sent her into a panic. She shook her head to clear her thoughts. Thinking about what ifs and maybes was not her style.

But…would she feel the same way if she killed Kasumi? Would she feel triumphant or broken? That was the problem with her desire for revenge, she did not know if it would make her feel better or worse.

"By the way, I got a lead on your mother." He said over his shoulder.

Ayane's attention was now solely focused on the man before her.

"I'll tell you about it at lunch." He left the room and made his way to the kitchen.

"Things are gonna get interesting around here." He thought.

_Hitomi's apartment_

_Germany_

_Tuesday-12:04 p.m._

"Let's see, I need two eggs, two cups of milk, and half a stick of butter." Hitomi read from the cookbook.

The brunette glided across the floor as she obtained the needed ingredients while singing along with the radio. Her favorite pop song was currently playing with lyrics describing the feelings of love and hope. Dressed in jeans, a blue shirt, and a sky blue apron, she danced about her kitchen as she made her lunch with the skill and devotion of a master chef.

"Set to bake for twenty minutes and then time to eat!"

Setting the timer, she twirled around and skated across the room thanks to a highly polished wooden floor and socks. She could barely contain the joy within her. Father had recovered from his illness and was feeling better than ever. Mother was relieved that her husband was fine and healthy again. Business at the Dojo was booming. Ever since the fourth Dead or Alive tournament, people from all over the world were flocking to her family's karate school, eager to learn the same fighting discipline as Hitomi, the half-German, half-Japanese karate fighter. Never did she think that participating in the grandest fighting tournament on earth would make the family karate school so popular.

Not only did she gain popularity, but she made some friends as well. Lei-Fang and her had hit it off almost the second they met. Even when they fought each other in the tournament, it was always a friendly match. Then there was Tina, a woman who dreamt big and made sure that she got what she wanted in life. Hitomi got the impression that the wrestling female was a bit too boastful and cocky for her own good, but she was friendly nonetheless. Even Zack had a certain charm to him, despite his rather odd behavior.

She reminisced about how she got involved with the DOA tournament in the first place. It all began when a mysterious man entered her life as he emerged from the Black Forest, remembering nothing about himself or where he came from. Her family took him into their home and named him Ein. Everyone was surprised at how quickly he learned and mastered karate. Than he joined the second DOA tournament to uncover his past, only to disappear when it ended.

She had missed him when he left. They had grown close during his time with them. Her parents thought of him as the son they never had and even she began to look up to him as a big brother. They got along so well. When the third tournament came around, she entered without hesitation to find him. Of course, that did not stop her from testing her skills against the other competitors. When she did find him, she was ambivalent. She was happy that he had regained his lost memories and identity, but she also felt sadness when she learned that he would not return to the Dojo or to the family he left behind. Even when her father became ill and she asked him to return to help run the school, he refused.

She knew that Ein had responsibilities now that he had reclaimed what was his, but the connection between them was something that was next to impossible to break. She had felt a bit selfish at times for wanting him to drop everything and come home, a feeling that she could feel that Ein shared at times. She could tell when they met during the past two tournaments that he seemed a bit…stressed. Like there was an enormous weight upon him that he could not lift. She wanted to help him, but it seemed useless to try and talk to him about his troubles. He brushed it off and refused to talk about it.

Her thoughts crashed to a halt as she heard the buzzer go off on her stove. Sliding across the floor, she opened the stove, placed on an oven mitt, and took the pan out.

Putting the finishing touches on her meal, she glanced at the letter held up on her fridge with a magnet. She had read it over a dozen times making sure it was genuine. It came that morning and caused her to feel euphoria for the rest of the day.

Ein was coming to visit.


	8. hunters and hunted

A/N: MAN! This one took a bit due to the fact that I redid a bunch of stuff until I liked it. But anyways, here ya go. And thanks for all the reviews and support!

Disclaimer: DMC owned by Capcom. DOA and NG owned by Tecmo and Team Ninja. You know the rest.

Chapter 8 Hunters and Hunted

**Dead or Alive 4: The Devil Factor**

**Chapter 8: Hunters and Hunted**

_Devil May Cry building_

_United States_

_Tuesday-10:20 p.m._

"DANTE?!" An Italian-accented voice bellowed. "Dante, where are ya?!"

The man in question gave Enzo an annoyed glance before returning his attention to cleaning his two handguns. "What do you want now, Enzo?"

"Hey there, big guy!" The chubby Italian said. "Just thought I let ya know that the one mill is safe and sound in our bank account!"

A wide grin was plastered on Enzo's face as he came up to Dante's desk. "I take it all went well?"

Dante placed a screw back into Ebony as he answered. "In a way."

"Sooooooo," Enzo asked while looking about the room, "Didja get a hold of my friend while you were…"

"You can get your own damn money, I ain't your errand boy." Dante snapped.

"Of course." Enzo groaned, the smile disappearing.

"Hey, keep it down in here! Some of us are trying to get some sleep!" An angry Ayane yelled as she burst into the room, wearing a purple tank top with white shorts.

Both men turned to see the purple-clad teen with an embarrassed Kasumi in pink pajamas standing behind her.

"Ayane, I don't think we should…"

"Oh, pipe down!" She snapped, giving the runaway a nasty glare. "If you won't say anything about this racket, I will!"

Enzo cocked an eyebrow as he studied the two gorgeous young women, "Hey, Dante. I didn't know you got some souvenirs."

"Joke's been done, Enzo." A new voice answered.

All eyes in the room became focused on Trish as she entered the building. "They're part of our new job."

"New job?" the alcoholic man asked. "What new job?"

"Long story." Dante informed. "Well, how'd it go?"

A dejected look formed on Trish's face "No such luck. I checked all of our sources and they have nothing."

Disappointment appeared on the faces of the two Asian teens. With ever passing moment, Enzo grew more confused.

"In that case, as much as I hate to admit it, I think I'm going to need your help, Enzo." The half-breed stated.

Now Enzo was beyond confused. "YOU need MY help now!? Usually when you 'need' my help, I have to fight ya tooth and nail to get you to accept it!"

"Whatever, you gonna help or not?"

Dante's liaison looked at him skeptically before answering. "What ya want me ta do?"

_Donovan's laboratory_

_United States_

_Tuesday-11:12 p.m._

"No, I don't know how long it will take." Donovan said into the phone, anxiously tapping his finger on his desk. He had much better things to do then answer such frivolous questions.

"I can assure you, chairman, once we have DOATEC back on track, I will be able to return to my research, now if you'll excuse me, I have work to do." With that, the power-hungry professor hung up the phone and let out an irritated sigh.

"Problems, Donovan?"

Looking up from his desk, Donovan saw his ally as he calmly walked through his lab and took his position in front of the holo-tank. The tank showed a three-dimensional map of the world with red x marks on random locations.

"It's nothing." The scientist responded as he rose from his seat. "Just some pompous chairmen who felt that I was not 'pulling my weight.' It has nothing to do with you."

"Anything about your company has nothing to do with me." The man replied in a cold tone. "But your search of the jewels has is a different story."

Moving beside the man, Donovan cleared his throat before continuing the conversation. "Unfortunately, I have met with no success. As you can see from this map, all of the so-called leads have ended in failure."

The man studied the map with scrutiny. "Sadly, my end has proven fruitless so far as well. But once Dante and the others make their move, one of the jewels should be within our grasp."

Donovan shifted uncomfortably. Whenever his ally paid him a visit, he always had a feeling of heightened awareness and anxiousness, like when a small creature was near a large predator. Such feelings made him uneasy about his alliance. He pushed the feelings aside, if he was going to get what he wanted, he would have to work with the man. But he did have to clear one thing up.

"Why do we have to go through all this trouble to obtain one of the jewels? Why don't we just interrogate her?"

The man spoke without breaking his gaze from the holo-tank. "Torture will not work on her. She knows what the jewels are and what they can do. She would sacrifice her life and those of her family to protect it."

Donovan mulled over what his ally said. How did he know that an interrogation would not work? He did not even try. While he was no stranger to cloak and daggers strategies, his ally's plan was unusually complicated. And when a plan gets too complicated, it falls apart.

"I also understand you sent that…thing to guard her." Donovan added.

"Yes, well, I don't want Dante to think this is _too_ easy." The man commented.

_DOATEC Multi-level Parking Garage_

_United States_

_Wednesday-2:33 p.m._

"This it?"

"Yup, she's in there."

"Yah sure?"

"With all the money I had to blow to find her, I better be right!"

Dante turned away from Enzo and gazed at the tall office building across the street. The tower was easily one of the tallest structures in the city. Stretching into the sky, the tower was DOATEC's corporate headquarters for the state. Glass windows almost covered all of the building's sides. The DOATEC corporate logo was on top of the structure in the form of a giant neon sign.

"How much did ya blow?" Dante asked.

"Well, let's just say that the one mill ya got came in handy." Enzo grumbled.

Trish came to her partner's side and looked at the building in question. "I hope the girls are okay. They've been in there for almost an hour."

"Don't worry, babe." Dante calmly replied. "They're supposed to be ninjas, so they should know about stealth and stuff."

Enzo scratched his scalp underneath his hat. "Ninjas, demons, and missing mothers. All I can say is that you always seem to get the more colorful jobs 'round here."

The red-wearing devil-hunter let out a grunt of acknowledgment. Things were getting interesting in his life, but there were too many questions about his job that no one seemed to have an answer for. How did DOATEC control, or at least team up with, demons and why? Why did they kidnap some mother in a ninja village? All of this weird stuff was happening and there was almost nothing connecting them.

With a sigh, he watched Trish from the corner of his eye. Ever since that night, when their attempt to reach intimacy backfired, Trish had acted like nothing happened. She did not seem sad or anything, but he knew it was still bugging her, because it was still bugging him. Than again, he would probably be uncomfortable about the situation if the happenings of that night went smoothly. Being sexual with a woman who was the spiting image of his mother was disturbing to say the least.

Once this job was over, he would have a lot of work to do to patch things up between them.

"We're back!" A voice called behind him.

The three business partners turned around to see Ayane and Kasumi standing behind them. Ayane was now in her purple shinobi suit while Kasumi wore her trademark blue gi with her copper hair in a ponytail.

"How'd it go?" Trish asked.

Ayane crossed her arms and looked at the cement floor. "Not so good. We couldn't find her. Security is tight in there."

Before anyone could feel let down by the news, Kasumi spoke up. "But, we do have a plan to get in and search again."

Ayane nodded. "Yeah. The building's gonna be basically empty tonight, so we thought we try again then."

Enzo shook his head. "That ain't what I heard. Security supposed to be on call 'round the clock."

"Already taken care of." Ayane declared with a superior smirk. She retrieved a small pouch from her belt and held it up for all to see. "This stuff here can put a grown man to sleep in minutes. We put some in all of the coffee makers we came across. There won't be an awake guard in there."

Dante returned the smile. "So, tonight then?"

Kasumi and Ayane nodded. "Tonight."

_The Protectorate Village_

_Vidu Mali Islands_

_Wednesday-7:03 p.m._

The Protectorate Village had existed since the formation of the Protectorate many centuries ago. Hidden deep within the mountainous regions of the main island, the village looked like it was taken out of ancient times. The houses had an old-fashion design to them, with tiled-roofs and wooden doors. The streets were made with cobblestone and old-fashioned oil lampposts were placed around the village.

But what made the village special was its inhabitants. The entire population was female. Women, both young and old, filled the streets as they went about their business. The elder population wore simple dresses and veils. The younger population, however, wore very different clothing. Some of the more muscular women wore medieval style armor. Other, more slender women wore tight bodysuits or leather outfits. There were others that wore clothing that resembled ninja garments or gladiator armor. All of the younger women carried weapons such as swords, shields, axes, daggers, bows and arrows, and even guns. But the one thing that was a tad more difficult to realize was what they really were.

Everyone in the village was a half-demon.

Some had tale-tell signs about their demonic heritage. Some had pointed ears, a few had feline-like eyes, and others had unusually dark or white skin. One woman even had leathery bat-like wings on her back.

Despite of all of these oddities, or perhaps because of them, she felt right at home.

Lucia walked through the streets of her village, receiving greetings and welcome homes from her friends. She smiled as the children ran after her, asking non-stop questions about the world outside the village. Some would soon find out for themselves as they neared the age when they would be allowed to become one of the Protectorate. She stopped a few times to answer some of the questions of her fellow Protectorate warriors. Some of the younger ones giddily asked about Dante and if he was a handsome as they were told. The ones who took their job seriously asked about his fighting style and power with monotone voices. But mostly, all of them wanted to know how she was doing.

She would give a smile, tell them that she was fine, and continue on. It was all an act, though. Ever since she had received the letter from Matier, she was anything but fine. The thought of the jewels being discovered sent chills down her spine. If all three were brought together…

No. She would make sure that would never happen. She did not fight to save her homeland from the evils of Argosax and Arius just to have it be destroyed now.

She looked up as she reached her destination, the home of her mother and teacher, Matier. The two-story house looked like all the other buildings in the village, but everyone knew that this particular house was special, for it was the home of the current Protectorate leader. Setting one of her bags on the ground, she knocked on the door.

"Enter." An elderly voice called.

Pushing the heavy door open, she stepped in. The house was once her home and shared it with her adopted mother. Everything was exactly the same as when she left. The pictures, the furniture, the knick-knacks, all of it were there and where they were supposed to be. One photograph caught her attention. It was a group photo of the entire Protectorate. She, herself, was standing in the center with Matier by her side. She smiled as she glanced over the others in the picture. All of them were highly skilled warriors who protected the Islands. All of them were friends she left behind when she went with Dante.

"You're here already, are you?"

Lucia turned to see her adopted mother wobbling into the room. Clutching her walking cane, she held out her hand to Lucia. "It has been a long time, my child."

Still smiling, Lucia took the offered hand with both of hers and gave it a squeeze. "It is good to see you again, mother."

Returning the smile, Matier looked into her daughter's eyes for a brief moment before turning and making her way to a nearby table.

"Tea?" She asked as she poured herself a cup.

"Yes, thank you."

The smile that was once on the crimson-haired huntress had fallen. She knew the look in her mother's eyes when she looked into them a moment ago. Something was bothering her mother and trainer, and she knew exactly what.

"So, tell me, how is Dante doing?" Matier asked as she set down the two cups of tea on the table and took a seat.

Lucia sat down across from the Protectorate leader and took the cup in her hand. "He is doing well, as is Trish." She took a quick sip of tea before continuing. "It appears that he has gotten popular around here."

Matier nodded. "Yes, well, you know our customs. These women are allowed to seek out a mate."

Lucia knew the rules and customs of her tribe. A woman may couple with a man in order to procreate, but finding one that was strong enough for them was…difficult at best. Many of the Protectorate wanted a man who also carried the blood of the devils in order for their children to receive the same power and strength of a half-demon. Since Dante was a half-demon, not to mention the son of Sparda, it came to no surprise on how…popular he had become.

"It's a good thing he doesn't know about our customs." Lucia thought as she took a sip of tea, thinking about what might happen.

"Well, enough small talk." Matier stated, placing down her teacup. "You know why I summoned you."

Lucia grimly nodded. She knew that the topic she dreaded would eventually surface.

"I wish we could have gotten together under different circumstances. But it appears fate has chosen otherwise." Matier mournfully stated.

Lucia squirmed in her seat. She had read the letter multiple times since she got it from her mother. According to the letter, DOATEC had sent in excavation teams to the Vidu Mali Islands. The teams tore apart the old temples that once held the Arcana, items that could set Argosax free. At first, the Protectorate thought that DOATEC was looking for the Arcana in an attempt to resurrect Argosax, and since Dante already killed the once mighty Devil God, the Protectorate decided to leave the humans be. But when one of their spies discovered what DOATEC was really after, the Protectorate summoned back all of its members.

The older woman stood and walked over to the window. She gazed at the village and its people, her people. Then she continued. "The Jewel of the Forbidden, the Jewel of the Forsaken, the Jewel of the Forgotten. The humans who came to our island were searching for these. If they do find them…"

Matier trailed off. Everyone in the village knew what would happen, the horror that would be unleashed.

"The humans have left our islands, but the threat still remains."

"Are you sure?" Lucia asked. "I mean, they may know about the Jewels, but do they know how to use them or even what they are for?"

"They aren't supposed to know about them at all!" Matier snapped.

Taken aback by her mother's sudden outburst, the ninja-like hunter looked at Matier in disbelief. Not even during the incident with Argosax did her mother lose her composure. To see her upset like this was unsettling for her.

Matier turned and gave her daughter an apologetic look. "Forgive me, my child, but this business with the Jewels is quite disturbing indeed."

Lucia nodded. She understood. The Jewels possessed a greater threat than Argosax ever could.

"Now, on to business." Matier announced, returning to her seat. "I need you and the other's to search for the Jewels yourselves. If you find them, return to the village with them so we may ensure they remain out of evil hands."

Lucia knew the plan too well. It was the same one she had to carry out when Arius attempted to locate the Arcana. However, there was one difference. She knew where the items of the Arcana were. The locations of the Jewel's, on the other hand, were a mystery. Trying to locate them before DOATEC was literally like hunting for buried treasure without a map.

"There is something else." Matier declared. "DOATEC's recent activities have gotten the attention of other's as well." A smile formed on her cracked lips. "They have offered to help."

Seeing the confused look on her protégé's face, she called out to the other room. "You can enter now."

Lucia turned to see two individuals enter the room. She gasped as she recognized one.

"Oh, it's you!"

_DOATEC Corporate Office building_

_United States_

_Wednesday-9:44 p.m._

"Hey, Mike." A guard called as he entered the main security office. "I'm clocked in."

The guard walked across the large room, heading for the lockers. He quickly glanced at the wall that was filled with television screens, each showing a live feed from the many security cameras placed in nearly all of the building's rooms. Every once in a while, one of the screens would snap to another camera then snap back at regular intervals. So far, everything looked calm and silent.

Good. Ever since the terrorist attack at the Tri-tower that is exactly what he wanted, peace and quiet. He opened his locker and retrieved his gear.

"So, slow night, Mike?" The man asked as he clipped on his badge. He heard no reply.

"Man, is that guy married to his work." He thought. "Mike always pays too much attention on those cameras. An earthquake could happen and he'd never know unless it was on those damn screens."

"Well, I'm goin' on my rounds." He declared, placing a flashlight on his belt.

He was almost to the door when he remembered something. Coffee. He grabbed a cup, took a sip, and left.

"Kinda tangy. Wonder if it's a new brand?" He said to himself.

He closed the door behind him, unaware of the coffee cup next to a sleeping Mike.

--

Ayane crept through the corridors of the gigantic corporate building. Even though she had spiked every coffee machine in the building, she could not risk jeopardizing her mission in the slightest. Her training as a kunoichi had made her aware that no matter how prepared one could be, nothing is for certain. There could be some who brought their own coffee, or drank tea, or did not drink anything at all.

Better safe than sorry as the old proverb goes.

She peaked around a corner. Seeing the hallway devoid of life, she gave a quick hand signal. A flash of blue and red streaked past her. Kasumi halted as quickly as she ran and pressed herself against the wall at the far end of the hallway. The redhead peaked around the corner and repeated the hand gesture. With skillful speed, Ayane darted around the corner and ran through the corridor.

The purple-haired teen briefly wondered if she had gone insane. Not only was she working with her sister in this operation, she had actually suggested the idea. She knew that teaming up with Kasumi would be easier since they were both ninjas and could operate in unison, thanks to their training. But there was still bad blood between them. Blood that she doubted could be washed away. Despite this, they seemed to be doing well. They had already checked a few of the upper levels within a few minutes. Their movements were precise and their mind's focused.

Crouching in the shadows, she noticed that Kasumi was giving a different signal. This one meant that they were back where they started on this floor. With nothing discovered, they would have to start on the next floor.

Trailing behind her sister as they made their way to the stairs, since the elevator was too big a risk, she wondered how Dante and Trish were fairing.

--

"Dante! Quit dicking around and let's go!"

With an irritated groan, the devil hunter followed Trish into the room. He closed the door behind him and leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. He hated sneaking around when he could be blasting things.

"I swear, Dante, you're like a child sometimes." Trish scolded as she unslung the Sparda sword from her back, placed it next to the computer terminal, and sat down.

"I don't see why we can't just storm this place, grab the chick, and hightail it out of this dump." Dante grumbled.

Swiveling around in the stainless-steel chair, she gave her headstrong partner a death glare. "You want your mug plastered on every wanted poster in town? Cause that's what's gonna happen!" She returned her attention to the computer, her fingers dancing across the keypad. "I, for one, would like to go out without the cops nailing me before I take two steps."

Strumming his fingers on his arm, he let out a deep sigh. "I just don't like this whole creeping around every corner deal. You know that stealth ain't one of the things I'm good at."

"Keeping your big yap shut appears to be another." The blonde muttered under her breath.

"What are you doing?" Dante asked, seemingly ignorant of Trish's little comment.

Trish paused for a brief moment as she fought back the urge to scream at him. "For the fifth time, we're looking for the girls' mother by searching the corporate mainframe."

Dante watched as Trish worked the computer like an expert. Her fingers became blurs as she accessed information that was supposed to be confidential. It amazed him on how fast his blonde partner became so skillful with computers. It was definitely a bonus for their business, since computers were essentially magic boxes to him.

"Found her!" Trish exclaimed with a victorious grin, a grin that quickly faded. "I think."

"You think?" Dante repeated.

Trish's face held a look of confusion. "Well, according to this, she's being held here." She pointed a small room that appeared to be inside a larger room. "But this says it's located in sub-basement five."

"And?"

Trish looked Dante firmly in the eye. "According to the schematics of this place, there is no sub-basement five."

"If you had a super secret basement, would you put in the blueprints for any idiot to find?" The white-haired man asked.

Both hunter's looked at the screen for a few minutes longer.

"Look's like we're going down." Dante finally announced.

--

"Grrrr! This is getting us nowhere!" Ayane hissed.

Kasumi wanted to tell her sister to keep quiet. Even though they had taken refuge inside a break room to gather their thoughts, guards who had not yet fallen asleep could still catch them. But she fought down the urge. Her comment could turn into a screaming match and this was no place to start one. But she had to say something.

"We knew that this would not be a simple mission." The copper-haired beauty whispered.

An insult almost escaped Ayane's throat, but she kept herself in check, and instead nodded. She knew better than to let her personal feelings interfere with her professional work, but every word that came out of her sister's lips made her blood boil. Her hatred was still as strong as ever.

"_Let me tell ya, killing a family member isn't what you call a satisfying experience."_

Dante's word's echoed in her head. Ever since her talk with him, she felt…different. The hate was there, but when she thought about killing Kasumi, instead of the euphoria she felt, the hate wavered. She would feel sick, like something precious was taken from her, something dear. Did that mean…?

"NO! I still hate her! I hate her! I hate her! I HATE HER!" She screamed in her mind.

Kasumi noticed that her sister's eyes were squeezed shut and that she seemed to be trembling in her seat. A surge of pain filled her heart. She wanted to go over to her little sister and hold her, comfort her like a big sister should. But she knew better. That would only infuriate the violet-haired teen and drive them further apart. She began to fidget with her blue gi as she waited for her sister to calm down.

But she had other things to think about herself. Last night, she had the dream again, the one with the darkness, the three lights, the monster, and the man in red. What could it mean? Was something happening that she was unaware of? And the man in her dream, could he be…Dante? It was possible. It might explain the feeling of familiarity she got whenever he was near. But who was he? She knew only bits and pieces about him. She wanted, no, she needed to know more.

Kasumi snapped her head up as a noise registered in her ears. It was a small noise, almost inaudible over the hum of the vending machines in the room, but it was there. She stood as she heard it again, this time much closer.

"You heard that too?"

The redhead switched her attention to her sister who was also standing, now fully alert. Kasumi nodded in reply.

Ayane shot towards the door and pressed herself on the wall as Kasumi took the opposite end of the doorway and killed the lights. Ayane opened the door a crack and peered out. At first she could not see anything clearly, then her eyes adjusted to the dark.

The runaway saw her sister's eyes grow in terror.

"Oh shit!" Ayane whispered.

--

"Dante?!" Trish hissed. "Dante, where the hell are you?!"

This mission was turning into a nightmare. Dante was acting like a brat, they were having no luck finding a way into the supposed sub-basement five, and now her partner had disappeared, leaving Trish even more irritated than ever.

Barely keeping her anger in check, she retraced her steps, hoping to find Dante, or at least find a clue about where he could be.

She let out a frustrated sigh. "I swear, next time we go out, I'm putting a leash on him."

A large metal door caught her eye. One with the word "Armory" printed across the door itself.

"Bingo."

Entering the armory, she found Dante staring at the various weapons that were hung across the walls and ammunition neatly arranged and stacked on tables. She watched as Dante would gaze longingly at a certain weapon before finding a more interesting one. He also appeared to be completely ignorant that she was even in the room, let alone that he had ditched her during a critical part of their assignment.

"Dante!" She yelled, not caring if DOATEC security heard her or not. "What the hell are you doing?! Why did you just ditch…"

"Trish! Check it out!" Dante interrupted, motioning to all the firearms. "Looks like Christmas came early for me!"

Trish grit her teeth while she answered. "Dante, we're supposed to find the girls' mother, NOT go on some shopping spree."

Dante flashed her a smile before renewing his search through the armory. Trish felt the heat in her checks rise.

"Damn him." She thought, a smile forming on her face. "Why can't I stay mad at you?"

She noticed that Dante had stopped moving about the room and was now standing in front of a glass display case. With a look of utter disbelief, Dante reached out and pressed his hand on the glass. Confused, Trish moved closer to see what had gotten Dante's attention so thoroughly. Inside the case was a gun. It was drum fed, only two feet long, and had two handgrips near the front and back. It almost looked like a shotgun.

Before she could say anything, Dante opened the case, removed the gun, and studied closely.

Dante pointed the gun at the wall and squeezed the trigger. A loud clack echoed in the large room, announcing that the gun was not loaded. Then the gun whirred to life as it attempted to jettison the spent shell that was not there. Then the barrel rotated slightly, trying to put another shell inside the chamber. Finally, the gun cocked itself, signaling it was ready to fire again. With amazement etched in his face, Dante held the gun tightly in his hand.

"No…fucking…way! It's automatic! I don't have to pump this thing!" Dante giddily exclaimed.

Dante grabbed some 12-gage ammunition nearby and began to load the gun. "I'm keeping you." He said, obviously referring to the gun.

Trish shook her head in amazement. "Boys and their toys." She whispered.

Her smile fell when the room shook for a split second as an explosive sound filled her ears.

"What was that?" She asked.

Dante craned his head upwards. "It sounded like it came from upstairs."

Trish's eyes widened. "The girls!"

Placing the shotgun in his coat, Dante marched out the door. "Let's go!"

"No, wait!" Trish called out. "We still have a job to do!"

Dante waited at the door. "So what do we do then?"

Trish thought for a moment before answering. "You find their mother. I'll go check on Kasumi and Ayane."

"Fine." Dante replied. He wanted to say that the girls could take care of themselves, but remembered how they could turn on each other so easily.

"Alright." Trish said, making her way to the door. "We'll meet up later."

She paused beside Dante. With some reluctance, she turned to face her partner, pulled him down to her height, and kissed him.

Dante was flabbergasted. He had thought that Trish would be uncomfortable with displaying her affection to him after the incident Monday night. He even was beginning to think that she hated him for rejecting her. But the embrace they were now sharing seemed to shatter those ideas. Feeling rather smug, he returned the kiss, wrapping his arms around her waist.

For several seconds, both Trish and Dante felt the world around them disintegrate. The tension drained from Dante's body. Trish felt warm chills go up and down her spin. Then she broke the kiss.

Faintly panting, she took Dante's face into her hands to ensure Dante's attention was completely on her.

"Be safe." She whispered to him. Her voice was light and sensuous.

Dante gazed into the blonde demoness's eyes. They held genuine concern.

"You got it, babe." A cocky grin appeared on Dante's face.

She released him and watched as he rounded a corner and left her view.

"Good. Because if anything would happen to you…" She shook her head. Now was not the time for such thoughts.

Still feeling the tingling sensation on her lips, she ran to the stairs, hoping that the girls were not in anything they couldn't handle.

Dante strode down the hallway. The heat of the moment had passed making the voices in his head regain their volume.

"That was Trish I kissed." He growled to himself. "Not my mother."

At that moment, Dante would have traded anything to be rid of his conflicting emotions.

--

"I don't get it?! How?! How did those DOATEC goons know we would be here?!" Ayane mentally screamed.

Ayane and Kasumi were still confined inside the break room. Outside, dozens of DOATEC soldiers had surrounded the only entrance into the room. To make matters worse, the soldiers were heavily armed and armored. They carried assault rifles, sub-machine guns, and even shotguns. Most wore body armor or bulletproof vests, gas masks, night vision or infrared goggles.

"A trap!" Ayane deduced. "They set a goddamned trap! That's the only explanation!"

Kasumi tried her best to think of a plan to get out without someone getting killed or hurt. No matter how dire her situation, she always looked for away to escape without staining her hands with blood. Even now, she could not fathom the idea of having to end the lives of the men outside the room in order to survive. But with her sister here with her, she did not know if Ayane would hold back like her. In fact, she highly doubted it.

"Their armor will make it a bit trickier to take them out without using lethal force." She thought. "But I can do it."

Kasumi stood from her crotched position. She took a deep breath and faced her sister. "You ready?"

With Kasumi's sudden announcement snapping Ayane out of her self-dialogue, she looked up at her sister in astonishment.

"She…She's actually willing to _fight_?!" She asked herself. "But she always tries to run away!"

She then realized that the only way out of the room was through the door…and the soldiers that stood outside.

Not wanting to be outdone by her despised half-sibling, Ayane stood and faced Kasumi.

"I was wondering when you'd finally ask that." Ayane said, masking her lie with a show of determination.

The runaway shinobi nodded, then reluctantly added, "Ayane, could you…could you try to spare them?"

"WHAT?!" Ayane almost yelled. "Are you insane?! In case you haven't noticed, there are guys out there armed to the teeth who would kill you in a heartbeat, not to mention they're the hired thugs of the same corporation that are our clan's sworn enemy, and you want me to spare them?!"

"We are not cold-blooded killers!" Kasumi snapped.

"Yes…we…are!" Ayane retorted, still finding it difficult to not scream at her sibling. "We are ninja. That's what we do. We are assassins, we are spies, and we work in the shadows. If you think that just because we still hold the code of honor that we can act all noble and compassionate, then maybe it was a good thing you ran away because with that type of attitude, you'd _never_ be a true ninja!"

Three years. That's how long she had waited to tell her foolish sister that. When Kasumi was still a part of the clan, it made Ayane sick to see her sister get praised for her skills in the ninja arts when nearly everyone knew that she was too softhearted, too naïve, to be a real ninja. Yet they made her a shinobi, considered her one of their best, all because she was the daughter of Shiden.

Kasumi did not move as she watched the red-faced kunoichi breath raggedly from her outburst. She suspected such feelings from Ayane, as she doubted that her little sister's hate did not come from their family ties alone.

A rustling that came from outside snapped both girls from out of their thoughts of one another and forced them back into the real world, with a very real problem at hand.

"We'll discuss this later, right now we got this to take care of." Ayane whispered.

Kasumi wanted to restate her position about using non-lethal force, but she knew that that was another argument waiting to happen. With a nod, she took her position, hoping that Ayane would at least try to spare the men.

--

"What's going on in there?" One man asked.

"Don't know." Another replied, keeping his gun trained on the door. "Sounds like they're talking, but not in English."

"That means it's the kids." The leader stated, than turned to the man next to him. "Get on the horn and tell second squad that we found the two brats and that they should search for the other two."

The man nodded and pulled out his walkie-talkie.

"Movement!" One man hissed.

Every man in first squad jerked into motion, taking his respect battle positions, guns at the ready. The door to the break room was opening excruciatingly slow.

"Get ready." The leader warned.

A tiny, shiny ball was tossed out the crack of the door and landed near one of the men. Then in one violent moment, the ball exploded, releasing a thick smoke that soon chocked the entire hallway.

"Gasmasks! Now!" The leader barked. He was unaware that the door had just burst open.

Kasumi moved to the man closest to her. She could see that the soldier was momentarily disabled as he fumbled for his mask, coughing up a fit. She leapt forward in a somersault motion, bringing her feet down over the man's head. The man's head slammed into the floor, knocking him out.

A section of wall next to her exploded.

Ducking and weaving she ran to the next man who fired his shotgun at her. With his gas mask already in place before hand, the only thing that had saved her was the smoke that made his aim off. Before he could pump another shell into the chamber, Kasumi drew her wakizashi and in a flash of steel, sliced the gun in two. The man dropped his broken weapon and reached for his sidearm. His hand never even touched the holster as Kasumi unleashed three kicks, the last smashing into the side of his head.

With another soldier down for the count, she quickly scanned the immediate area. One man was swinging his assault rifle left and right, looking for targets. Sheathing her blade, she sprang from her position and delivered a leg sweep, taking the man off his feet. Another man nearby spotted her and brought his sub-machine gun up. Leaping into the air, the blue-clad kunoichi curled into a ball, then brought her legs out, planting both feet into the man's nose. Springing off the man's face, she flipped back to the man she tripped and landed on his stomach. The man with the broken nose was slammed into the wall behind him and before he crumpled over. Both men were out cold.

Whipping her head around, the redhead spotted a man leveling his rifle at her. On sheer instinct, Kasumi ran right at the man, preparing to take him out quickly. The man responded to the spunky girl with a hail of gunfire. With blinding speed, Kasumi weaved and sidestepped to throw off the man's aim as she closed the gap between them. She could hear every bullet whiz by and even felt a few brush past her. The man continued to fire, hoping that one shot would find its mark. In a flash, Kasumi shot past the man and came to a halt a few feet away. The man stopped shooting, stood absolutely still for a moment, then fell over.

She winced as she felt a stinging pain on her arms and shoulders. She noticed that the bullets from the assault rifle had ripped into her clothes and cut into her arms. They barely grazed her, yet blood trickled from the wounds. The fight with the guards felt like it took forever, but in reality only half a minute had past.

The men were disoriented from the blast and the smoke, but not for long. Soon the smoke would clear and the men would be able to get a clear line of sight. And since the hallway was cramped as it was, a head on fight might prove lethal for the soldiers, Ayane, and herself.

They had to leave and now. She ran to the other side of the hallway where she hoped Ayane would be.

--

"Goddamn it! What's goin' on in there?" yelled First squad's leader. He and a few others escaped from the noxious cloud of smoke. Now he wanted to know where the rest of his squad was.

"I don't know, sir." One man answered. "All I get from our com-lines are shouts and screams."

A piercing shriek made the men jump slightly.

"That's it!" A second man roared, pointing his gun at the cloud.

"Hold your fire, you idiot!" The leader ordered, slapping the gun away. "You might hit one of our own!"

The leader stared into the cloud of smoke as he heard more gunfire and shouting emerge from the battle that no one could see.

"Call third squad and tell them to get their asses up here, pronto!"

"Yes, sir!" The first man replied, grabbing the walkie-talkie.

"And someone get the ventilation system going, I want that smoke gone and I mean NOW!" The leader barked.

"On it, boss." The second man said.

"I am not gonna be beat by two brats." The leader hissed.

--

"Dave? Max?" A young man asked. "Where are you guys?"

The man was still trapt in the smoke, despite his best efforts to find a way out. Since the bomb went off, he became disoriented and even lost track of his two squad-mates.

"Dammit guys, where are y…"

The man heard something cutting through air. He felt an impact on the back of his head, and then everything turned black.

"That's one down." Ayane told herself, standing over one of the men, her kunai implanted into the base of his skull.

"Non-lethal. Ha!" Ayane thought. "That stupid bitch needs to learn that in the real world, it's kill or be killed."

Movement ahead of her brought Ayane out of the realm of her thoughts. She did not have time to think when the trash needed to be taken out.

She prepared another kunai, but paused. She could not accurately make out the shapes in the smoke. She also had a limited amount of kunai and shuriken on her and she did not want to waste them by throwing blindly into the thick haze. Her recent kill was only luck as the fool was almost yelling out his position. Ayane grasped the kunai like a dagger, she ran into the smoke, ready to take on any of the soldiers who dared stand in her way.

From the corner of he eye, she spotted one man armed with a sub-machine gun. He also spotted her and whipped his gun in her direction. Before the man could fire, she kicked the gun out of the man's grasp, flipped into the air, and landed behind him. She locked her free arm around the man's muscled neck and plunged her kunai into his throat. The man jerked, gargled, then went limp.

Kicking the body away, she saw another man had emerged from the smoke and leveled his rifle at her. Without thinking, she launched the kunai at her opponent. The kunai caught the man between the eyes, shattering his infrared goggles. Both the rifle and soldier dropped to the floor.

Ayane yelped as a shotgun was thrown over her, and then used to trap her between a soldier and the gun.

"Got ya, bitch." The soldier bellowed in a gruff voice.

Ayane gasped for air as the man tightened his hold on her by pulling back on the shotgun, lifting her off her feet. She struggled to get out of the crushing grip, but to no avail. The man was easily twice her size. Escape by strength alone would not work.

With a desperate yell, Ayane lifted both a leg into the air and slammed it down on the man's kneecap, knocking it out of place.

Letting out a roar of pain, the man fell to his bad knee. The purple kunoichi felt his grip weaken. Breaking free of his hold, she became a violet cyclone, spinning forward while unleashing a barrage of blows upon her would be captor before kicking him away. The man rammed into the wall and was out of the fight.

Anger boiled within her. The thought of being killed by these thugs became a catalyst as other events in her life began to fuel her rage. The treatment she received by the village people, DOATEC taking her foster father away and turning him into a monster, her pampered sister betraying the clan.

Two men caught her eye as they stumbled around in the smoke, each trying to find their targets. Her anger reaching its climax, she grabbed two kunai and pounced upon the men. What happened next was a blur to her. She remembered blades flashing, men screaming, and hot liquid spraying on her face.

--

Kasumi fought back the panic that was attempting to overtake her. Her sister was nowhere in sight. She heard yells from the men who had escaped, telling about reinforcements coming, and now the smoke had begun to dissipate. Soon the soldiers would regain their vision and have clear shots, unless they escaped.

"How are we going to find mother now, let alone get her home safely?" She whispered to herself.

Then something caught her attention. A figure. A female figure.

"Ayane!" Kasumi gasped with joy. "Ayane I…"

Kasumi's voice died as she saw her sibling more clearly. Ayane's body trembled as she gasped for breath. Her suit was torn and two kunai were clenched in her fists. Her hair was a mess. Her face held a feral look. Her eyes were filled with anger and hate. And she was covered in blood, none of it hers.

Kasumi shuddered. Her baby sister, the same one who played with her when they were toddlers was now drenched in the blood of men.

_The Devil's Armory_

_Herein lies the weapons The Hunters have obtained in this tale so far_

Rebellion-A keepsake sword given to Dante by his father, Sparda. Being feed Dante's blood has awakened its true power, but not its ultimate power. It's name means "resistance."

Sparda-The legendary sword bearing Sparda's name. The fully transformed version of the Force Edge, Trish now wields it as she aids Dante in his fight against the demon world.

Cutlaseer-A pair of short, curved blades that Lucia uses. Combining them with her deadly martial arts moves makes her able to slash down enemies from all sides with ease and precision.

Ebony&Ivory-Dante's personally designed handguns made for rapid-fire action. Ivory, the right gun, is custom built for rapid firing. Various parts are rounded to ensure fast draw times. Ebony, the left gun, has been modified for long-distance targeting. It is designed for comfort and accuracy.

Noir&Blanche-Trish's personally designed handguns, modeled after Ebony and Ivory. Their lightweight and easy sliding bridges enable Trish flexibility in her use of them, allowing her to maneuver around while firing them with ease. Somewhat smaller than Dante's guns, Trish's firearms still back a deadly punch.

Throwing Darts-Expertly concealed all over Lucia's person, these tiny, hand-carved, silver, ceremonial knives can, when properly thrown, be as deadly as any firearm.

Shotgun-A DOATEC next-gen prototype, this shotgun holds twice the amount of shells ordinary guns can hold and can reload without needing to pump.


	9. crimson lightning

A/N: For a while, this fic was turning into something that I had a hard time controlling. It's difficult keeping this fic together sometimes, since I want to include nearly every DOA character in it. But after thinking about it for sometime, I'm still gonna try. FYI, the shotgun that Dante now has is like the Stinger in Resident Evil 4. Love that game.

Disclaimer: Capcom owns DMC, Team Ninja and Tecmo own DOA. If I owned both, I'd be turning this fic into an actual game. How cool would that be?

Chapter 9: Fighting galore.

**Dead or Alive 4: The Devil Factor**

**Chapter 9: Crimson Lightning**

_DOATEC Corporate Office building_

_United States_

_Wednesday-10:23 p.m._

With growing boredom and frustration, the demonic hunter lapped around the floor again. His attempts at finding the supposed sub-basement five had proven not only fruitless, but also aggravating. The stairs stopped at sub-basement four, as did the elevators, and try has he might, there was no secret entrance that he could find.

"This is just a waste of time. I should have gone after the girls and she…" Dante paused for a brief moment. "On second thought, let Trish deal with the kids. See if she can survive their little sibling rivalry."

Dante went past the elevators a second time…and stopped. A letter was pinned to the wall, next to an elevator that was not there before. 'Read Me' was written on the outside of the envelope in cursive, green letters.

Curiosity over taking him, the red-clad man walked over and snatched the letter.

_To my dearest friend, Dante,_

_So sorry for not seeing you in person, I do hope you can find it in yourself to forgive me. But as a token of apology, from one friend to another, I give you a way into the lair that holds the lovely woman you so desperately seek. No thanks are necessary._

_Yours most sincerely,_

_Gentleman_

_P.S. Do be careful down there._

Dante crumpled the letter in his hand and tossed it aside. Just great, that nut-job demon was getting all touchy feely with him. But he did give him a way into the sub-basement five. At least, that is what it looked like. He had the rug taken out from underneath him way too many times, making trusting someone like Gentleman a tad difficult.

But he had no alternative. He entered the mystery elevator and reached for the button. His hand stopped when he realized that there was no control panel. Instead, the doors closed and the elevator began to descend, seemingly of its own accord.

"Going down." Dante stated with a smirk.

--

"Jesus Christ! What the hell happened here?"

Second squad's leader gazed at the sight before him. A dozen men from First squad were lain out across the hallway. Many were groaning from their wounds, as they lay unconscious. Others had sheets covering them entirely, signaling that they had met an unfortunate end. Blood was splattered on the walls and floor farther down the hall. Those that were still up and about were either trembling in their boots or appeared as mad as hell.

"I'll tell ya what happened." One man from First squad said as he passed by, anger laced in his voice. "We just got our asses handed to us by two girls that are probably not even out of high school!"

"Private!" First squad's leader bellowed. "That's enough! Get back to your post!"

The young man mumbled out a 'yes, sir' before he went back to his duties.

"Sorry 'bout that," First squad's leader said. "but as you can see, we got shaken up a bit."

"Is that true, though? Two girls did this?"

"Yeah. Hard to believe, huh?" the first leader replied, wiping his nose. "They caught us off guard with a smoke bomb of some sort and…well, you can figure out what happened next."

Second squad's leader looked over the battle torn hallway again. "Was it those two ninja girls from the tournaments?"

First squad's leader nodded. "Yup. From what we can figure, the one in blue just knocked out the men she attacked, some broken bones, bumped heads, and shattered egos. Nuthin' serious."

The man let out a sigh before he continued. "The purple one's a different story. I got six men down. Two look like someone took an axe to 'em."

Second squad's leader shook his head. He was no stranger to death, but hearing how someone could go so far in a kill was disturbing, to say the least. "Where are they now?"

"Don't know." First squad's leader sheepishly replied. "They were gone when the smoke finally cleared. But I have a feeling they're still in the building."

--

"Ayane! Ayane, snap out of it!" Kasumi shook her sister firmly as she tried to bring her back into reality.

When she found her, Ayane was drenched in blood with two kunais held tightly in her tiny, trembling fists. Her attempts to talk to the homicidal-looking girl had proven futile, as Ayane was unresponsive to her sister's questions. She almost had to drag the younger teen out of the hallway into a bathroom a few floors down.

They were safe, for now.

"Ayane! Please! You're starting to scare me!" Kasumi pleaded.

The lavender teen's eyes, as well as her mind, remained unfocused.

Letting out a sigh, Kasumi raised her right hand. "Please forgive me, sister."

With a loud smack, Ayane's head rocked back. Her eye's blinked, as she finally became aware of her surroundings. Confusion, shock, disbelief, and finally anger flashed through her eyes in a matter of seconds.

"OW!" Ayane yelped, placing a hand on her now red cheek. "That hurt, bitch!"

A smile formed on Kasumi's face. "Thank Kami, I thought I had lost you there."

The younger teen gave a death glare as she rubbed her stinging injury. "What the hell are you talking…"

Her words died as she remembered the fighting, the anger, the overwhelming bloodlust, the two men, and screaming. She looked down at herself to see the blood that covered her, telling her that the images in her mind happened. That she had killed two men like an animal.

The more she thought about it, them more surreal it became, like it happened in a dream. Soon the images began to meld together, forming a vortex of colors and emotions. At the center were pictures in her head of the dead bodies of the people closest to her. Genra. Yuri. Shiden.

Hayate.

Kasumi watched as Ayane rushed into one of the stalls, retching sounds soon emanated from it.

"What happened to her?" Kasumi thought.

With uneasy slowness, Kasumi moved into the stall, where Ayane was hunched over the toilet. She knelt down next to the ill girl and placed her hand on Ayane's back. The purple-haired teen jerked at the touch, but did nothing, nor said anything to make Kasumi remove her hand. Even if she did want to say something, she would most likely lose more contents of her stomach than pronounce words.

A few minutes past before Ayane could speak clearly. "I…I can't believe I lost it…like that back there."

"It's okay. It's over now." Kasumi assured. In reality, she did not know if it was over. This outburst could be the first of many, for all she knew.

"No, it's not okay!" The angry teen attempted to yell, but her voice only managed a squeak, to her dismay. "If Master Hayate saw me like that he…"

Ayane trembled at the thought of Hayate rejecting her, casting her aside, labeling her a monster.

"Shhhh." Kasumi soothed, rubbing her sister's back.

She knew better than Ayane that their brother would never do such a thing. Even though she was an outcast, she could still feel the love her brother had for her and she was sure he felt the same way for her half-sister.

"She's touching you!" A voice called out in Ayane's mind. "That bitch is touching you! Do something!"

The purple-clad teen did nothing, but remain in her prone position.

"Why are you letting this happen?!" A second voice screeched. "She's giving you her pity! She's looking down on you! Are you gonna just let her get away with it?!"

Ayane did not move.

"Are you admitting defeat, is that it? Did she win?" The first voice spoke. "Kami, you're worthless. No wonder Hayate loves her more than you."

"Shut up." Ayane growled, her voice barely a whisper.

"What?" A startled Kasumi asked.

"Shut up, shut up, shut up, SHUT THE FUCK UP!"

Kasumi removed her hand and backed away from the obviously infuriated teen, perplexed as to whom she was yelling at.

"I'm sick and tired of listening to you." She thought to the voices. "I just want to get mother and go home, so SHUT UP!"

Still confused about Ayane's sudden outburst, Kasumi slowly stood and retrieved a towel.

"I know that Ayane is a not alright emotionally, but is her mental state deteriorating as well?" She thought.

"Here." Kasumi said and offered the towel

Ayane weakly looked at Kasumi with teary eyes, then to the towel. She snatched it out of her hands and began to dry her face.

--

"See anything?"

"Nope, not a goddamn thing."

"Well, keep alert. The boss-man says that the other two are somewhere near the lower floors."

"Yeah, I know."

The two soldiers continued to chat, unaware of the woman that was nearby, listening to the conversation.

"I can't believe that ten entire squads were called in here. I mean there's only four of them bastards."

"Actually, only one of 'em's a guy. The other three are babes. Two of 'em are supposed to be only teenagers."

"Teenagers?! You're fucking with me!"

"Nope. The older babe's supposed to be real fine and all that. A blonde to boot."

A smile appeared on the woman's face.

"Yeah, well, I still find it hard to believe that they're terrorists."

"Hey, man. We're paid to shot, not to think. Besides, the two kids are still in the upper floors. The only way they're getting' out of there is in cuffs or a body-bag."

"I heard that. 'Specially since we got those new toys. I feel sorry for em, that's all I can say."

"We'll see about that." Trish whispered.

--

"Looks like this is my floor."

Dante stepped off the elevator as soon as the doors opened.

The floor of sub-basement five was gigantic, easily the size of a football field. There were pieces of equipment sprinkled about the place. All of it appeared to be old and gathering dust. At the far end of the floor was the small room that Trish indicated earlier.

"So that's were she's at, huh? Kinda looks cramped."

Dante made his way to the tiny room. As he walked through the large floor, he felt…uncomfortable. Like he was being watched. He scanned the room, searching for anything that seemed out of place.

He slowed to a halt as Rebellion began to hum and vibrate on his back. Red, demonic energy crackled up and down the blade. His sword's reaction meant only one thing.

A demon was nearby, a powerful one.

"Looks like I'll be havin' some fun, after all." He thought to himself.

A nearby electrical outlet exploded in a shower of sparks and metal. Blood-red electricity shoot out and jumped to a nearby piece of abandoned machinery. Other outlets detonated with red electricity jumping to the machines in the room. The machines began to levitate off the ground and then fly to the center of the room.

Dante watched with uncertainty as the machines began circle about, as if caught in an invisible tornado. The metal on the machines melted and the electrical components came apart. The blood-red energy seemed to be disassembling the equipment in the room as it crackled about, giving the room an angry glow.

The liquid metal began to take shape and molded around the components as they reformed themselves into…something. From the white-haired hunter's point of view, the mysterious electricity was remaking all of the machines into a new form. He was proven correct as a body took shape, then legs, a pair of gigantic wings, then finally a head.

The creature that stood on its hind legs was towering, almost touching the ceiling. The thing resembled a dragon, as it's wings and slender body looked reptilian. Its feet sported gigantic, sharp-looking claws. Its head was at the end of its elongated neck. The head itself sported a beak-like mouth and two horns that sprouted out of its head and curved forwards. The metal that was used to form its armor-like body had turned black with red streaks of light criss-crossed along its body.

Its crimson eyes lit up and focused on its prey.

"Whoa, nice entrance." Dante began to move toward the dragon-like being. "Well ain't this like a fairytale? The knight comes to save the damsel in distress and has to fight a dragon."

The machine-dragon answered with a deafening roar that shook Dante to the bone. Crimson energy shot out from its body, forcing Dante to leap back or be struck by it. The lights over the dragon erupted and showered it with broken glass and sparks.

Landing near the elevator doors, Dante gave an amused smirk. "Helluva temper ya got there, tin can." Dante casually walked toward the colossal demon once more. "I think someone needs to get recycled."

The demon called Apophis took a thunderous step forward ready to smite the wisecracking demon with its tremendous power.

--

"Did you feel that?"

Ayane was finishing toweling off the last of the blood from her clothes. "Yeah. Sounded like it came from downstairs."

Kasumi frowned. She felt like there was something wrong, that there was something big happening.

"Come on." Ayane said as she tossed the now bloody towel aside. "We better check it out. That hot-head might be in trouble."

Kasumi nodded…then paused, as did Ayane. Both girls looked at each other, than leapt away from the wall, just as it exploded. Pieces of concrete pelted the duo as they landed. A cloud of dust blurred their vision.

"Stay where you are! Put your hands in the air, or we _will_ open fire!" A voice called out.

Kasumi squinted to see their new attackers. She could vaguely make out man-shaped forms in the dust, but could not get a clearer look. Ayane notice the voice that called out seemed to be distorted, like he was speaking through a megaphone.

The dust began to clear and the two kunoichis got a better look. Three large, human-shaped machines entered the bathroom through the newly formed hole in the wall. The machines were large as their thick armor plating gave them an over-muscled look. Each one carried a 50-calibur, chain feed, machine gun.

Ayane recognized the war machines. They were men in armored battle suits. Hayate, Ryu, the other ninjas, and she fought quite a number of those things during their siege of the Tri-tower. She also remembered how ten ninja in their group were cut down by the mechanized monstrosities.

The purple-haired shinobi caught movement out of the corner of her eye. Kasumi had dashed toward the three metal-encased soldiers, preparing to strike first. She called out for the redhead to stop, as another memory returned to her. Kasumi, hearing her sister's plea, skidded to a halt, and leapt back. She felt something brush past her stomach moments before she flew back and landed next to Ayane.

Kasumi looked down to find a small cut on the stomach area of her blue gi. Confused, she returned her attention to the soldier she had attempted to attack. A foot-long blade retracted into the armor's gauntlet. Kasumi discovered what Ayane already knew. The hidden blades could be extended in an instant and used for deadly close-combat moves. Painful memories of a ninja being almost cleaved in half flashed through Ayane's mind, making her shiver before she could push it out of her head.

She grabbed Kasumi by the hand and ran toward the exit. All three men opened fire. The high-caliber rounds ripped apart wall as the two teens escaped through the door.

Neither girl spoke a word as they sprinted down the hall, putting as much distance between them and the armored gunmen as they could. Both teens' minds raced as they tried to come up with a plan.

Ayane was wondering if they should just abandon the mission and retreat. So far, the enemy had been prepared for their arrival, the place was crawling with DOATEC soldiers, she had no idea where Dante and Trish were, nor if they were alive, dead, or captured, and she was unsure if they could get mother out safe and sound, or if she was here at all. Their plan for rescuing mother had fallen apart before it really took shape.

No. She would not abandon mother here. True, she did not know for certain if she was even in the building at all, but if they left, DOATEC would increase their defenses, making a second siege even more difficult.

Kasumi, on the other hand, was more worried about the others, particularly her sister. The incident with the soldiers was a chilling reminder about how close Ayane was to succumbing to the madness of her own life. Kasumi considered what would have happened if she were nearby when the violet-clad teen went berserk. The runaway doubted that Ayane would have been able to distinguish friend from foe, although, it was difficult for her to guess if Ayane considered her either one at the moment.

The two kuniochis' rounded a corner…and came face to face with four more soldiers in battle suits. Instinctively, Ayane unleashed a handful of shurikens at them, only to see them harmlessly bounce off the dense armor plating. The four suits pointed their guns at the youths.

The sounds of heavy footsteps echoed through the hall the shinobis just came from. The other three soldiers were headed their way, cutting them off. The only way out now was _through_ the suit-enhanced troops.

Kasumi drew her wakizashi as Ayane readied more kunai. The three battle armors came into view, leveled their weapons…

And one dropped to the floor.

The other two men turned to their fallen comrade and saw a large sword buried in the suit's back. Kasumi, Ayane, and the four other troops stood motionless at the unforeseen event.

The men were baffled. The sword had pierced right through the suit, killing the man inside instantly. The blade was organic looking, like it was made of bone instead of metal. Kasumi and Ayane recognized it as the sword that Trish carried.

A woman of black leather, creamy skin, and blonde hair appeared next to the body, wretched the sword free, and sliced into another soldier, cutting through the armor like it was aluminum foil. The third raised his weapon when he realized what was going on. Trish brought Sparda over the man's head, cutting his weapon, and the man himself, in two. Blood, oil, and coolant sprayed out from the fallen suits and stained the walls.

During Trish's bloody entrance, and ignoring the nauseating feeling in her gut, Kasumi decided to take advantage of the four soldiers lapse in attention, as they had been focused on the woman who was effortlessly cutting down their squad mates. The copper-eyed beauty retrieved a small ball from her pouch, channeled her Ninpo through it, and launched it at the armor-plated men.

The ball landed in the center of the soldier's formation, detonating in a golden explosion. Three of the men were taken off their feet, while the fourth was hurled through the wall into an office, skidded across the floor, then out a large window. The suit tumbled as it fell and smashed into the pavement.

The three remaining men struggled to get back on their feet. Ayane took action and landed on one of the soldiers. Using her kunai, she jabbed them into certain points on the battle suit. The man inside the suit brought his left hand up to slash at his tiny adversary with his hidden blade, but stopped halfway. The lights on his monitors flickered and died. The lavender-wearing girl had severed the suit's electrical wiring, turning the mighty battle machine into a one thousand pound paperweight.

A noise made Ayane whip her head around to see another soldier had already sat up and aimed his weapon at her. Kasumi was already upon the man and in a flash, sliced apart the powerful gun. The man's left fist came at her. Using her wakizashi, Kasumi deflected the bladed attack that her opponent delivered. The soldier launched a right hook at her, attempting to bat her away. Before the hit could strike her, she drove her blade into the battle suit's visor. The right arm flailed about before going limp.

Kasumi slowly pulled the wakizashi free, blood staining the once shimmering metal. Her body trembled slightly. She had taken another life. She had killed to protect herself before, but it always left an unsettling feeling in the pit of her stomach.

Ayane watched Kasumi with interest. Just now their roles had reversed. She had rendered her opponent immobile while her princess of a sister had just killed hers. Ayane began to feel smug. Kasumi made a big deal about sparing the men that first attacked them, but she seemed to throw that into the wind when it was convenient.

The smugness was quickly replaced with a cold jolt to her stomach as she remembered the fight, what happened to her, and how her despised older sister tried to comfort her, despite all of the hatred she felt.

A gun cocked.

Ayane and Kasumi redrew their attention to the final soldier who had them in his sights.

"GET DOWN!"

The kunoichis ducked as they felt something whoosh over their heads. Whatever it was, the thing was gigantic and sounded like a propeller from a small helicopter. The thing sliced through the soldier. The soldier fell in two pieces.

The thing that cut down the armored-clad man continued to fly down the hallway. Then it whipped right back toward the teens. Ayane and Kasumi were dumbstruck. The thing did not arch or stop, it just reversed direction as if it was thrown the opposite way.

The object flew over the teen's heads again and was caught by Trish. The object turned out to be a scythe. The blade changed form, turning from a scythe into a spear, than finally back into the Sparda sword.

"You two alright?" Trish asked as she placed the large blade on her back.

The two nodded in unison, still astounded by the oddness of Trish's weapon.

"Good. Let's head downstairs, Dante should have your mother by now."

"You found mother?!" Kasumi almost shouted, excitement in her voice.

"We think so." Trish replied. "She's supposed to be in one of the basement floors."

Ayane's face hardened as determination began to grow within her. They knew where mother was, now they could rescue her and leave before things became more out of hand.

--

With a thunderous roar, Apophis launched a bloody lighting bolt at its prey. Dante rolled to the side as the bolt sped passed him and slammed into the wall. Ebony and Ivory roared, peppering the demon with bullets. The .45 caliber rounds left scratches and dings on the demon's metal hide, but did not do any real damage.

Apophis slammed its front legs into the ground, sending out red, high voltage electrical waves. Dante dodged the attack by leaping into the air, still unleashing a hail of gunfire at the gigantic machine-like beast. The demon's tail whipped out and knocked Dante out of the air. He bounced across the floor before he came to a stop.

"Not bad, ya giant Tinker-Toy." Dante face became a huge grin. "But it'll take more than a cheap shot to keep me down."

The dragon stood its ground, towering over the annoying speck that dared to call himself its opponent. Apophis then lowered itself on all fours again and opened its enormous mouth. Red energy began to collect in its gaping jaws, forming a large ball.

Dante remained motionless as the dragon prepared its attack. If all those Japanese monster movies and cartoons had taught him anything, it is that when a robot has to charge an attack, it would most likely be a powerful one. That and women can wear super-skimpy clothing without fear of it falling off.

Coiling his legs, Dante exploded into the air just as Apophis unleashed its attack. A large beam of crimson light lanced out, creating a large crater where Dante once stood. Twisting in the air, the silver-haired half-devil landed on top of the demon's head. He grasped Rebellion in his hands and drove into the beast's skull. The beast screeched in pain as it whipped its head around, trying to dislodge the sword and its master.

Hanging on to Rebellion's hilt, Dante attempted to pry off the armor that covered its head. However, Apophis lowered its head, allowing it to use its front legs to swipe at the pesky hunter. Seeing the giant claws coming at him, Dante abandoned his goal and leapt out of the way. He winced as the tip of one of the claws grazed his arm.

Landing halfway across the room, Dante checked where the demon had struck. His coat now had a huge cut, as did his arm. His blood oozed out, blending in with his already red coat.

"I just cleaned this thing." Dante growled, turning his attention back to the giant metal dragon.

Apophis rose to its full height and stretched out its wings. Multiple balls of red electricity formed along its wings. It batted its wings in Dante's direction, unleashing the orbs. The spheres came at Dante quickly, converging on his location. The red-clad demon willed his legs to move before the balls closed the gap. He ran around the demonic dragon, the orbs arching toward him and smashing into the ground behind him, each one closer than the last. Dante had to jump into the air, or the last sphere would have hit.

Dante turned to face the dragon, only to realize that he was now dangerously close to it. Apophis reared its head back and struck like a snake. Dante rolled to the side as the demon snapped at air. Before the machine-like creature could retract its head, Dante shot out, as if he was gliding across the floor, and thrust his sword into the side of the demons head.

As soon as the sword dug into the armor, he retrieved the shotgun from his coat, pressed it to the demon's glowing eye, and fired. The orb exploded into broken glass and circuitry. The demon violently whipped its head back and unleashed a pain-filled roar.

"Now that had to hurt." Dante stated with malice. The shotgun ejected the spent shell and placed a fresh one into the chamber.

The red energy that the creature wielded began to build up along its body until it erupted, forming a protective shell around Apophis. Fingers of the red lightning shot out and struck in random directions. Dante danced about as he nimbly dodged the wayward attacks.

Once the lightning ceased and the shell dissipated, Dante took to the offensive. He rushed at the dragon and leapt into the air before it had a chance to strike again. Once he was on the same height as the demon's head, he took Rebellion in his hand and lashed out, striking the demon multiple times. He finished his Aerial Rave by bringing his sword down on the demon's skull. Both Dante and Apophis fell to the ground.

Apophis struggled to get back on its feet. Dante saw his opportunity. He moved to the left side of the demon's head, pointed his shotgun at its remaining eye, and squeezed the trigger. Apophis shot back up to its full height and roared in agony. It stumbled about blindly, and then collapsed once more, causing the ground to tremble.

The creature was dazed, now was his chance. He sailed through the air and reclaimed his position on top of the demon's large head. He slammed the tip of his blade down, puncturing the armor. He pulled back on the hilt as he attempted to pry the metal off.

"Let's see if ya got a soft spot." Dante muttered as he mustered all of his strength.

With a satisfying crunch, a large portion of Apophis's armor popped off, revealing a cluster of wires and circuits. Dante brought out the shotgun.

"Prepare to crash, ya overgrown hard drive." Dante hollered.

It was then that the beast woke.

Dante found himself tumbling in the air before crashing into a wall. He had been blind-sided by the demon's tail for a second time.

The demon rose and roared, twisting its head back and forth. It was blind, but it could still sense its prey. The bloody sphere formed around the creature. Streaks of lightning lanced out and came rushing at him.

"Not this again." Dante muttered.

--

"Defensive positions!"

The men of fourth, fifth, and eighth squads took cover behind doorways, furniture, desks, cubical walls, and whatever else they could find. Each readied their weapons and took aim at the main door. They were located in one of the main office rooms, preparing to intercept the three intruders, incase seventh squad failed to stop them.

Most of the soldiers felt that it was simply overkill to place three entire squads in one place to take down only three people, young women at that. But their commanders knew better. First squad was taken down quick and tenth squad's battle suits were found either torn up or disabled. For the commanders, they wondered if three squads were enough.

Being beat by two teenage girls and a woman with a sword was a humiliation too grievous to bear for them. This would be their last stand, their Alamo.

The sound of gunfire snapped everyone in the room to attention. The men listened as other sounds began to resonate, which included men screaming, bones breaking, and something large cutting through air. A few seconds passed, then all went silent.

All except the sound of approaching footsteps.

"Get ready, men!" Fourth squad's leader barked.

"Concentrate your fire on that door!" Fifth squad's leader added.

Eighth squad's leader simply motioned for his squad to spread out, just in case the terrorists used an explosive device.

The door began to creak open. Over thirty men opened fire, tearing the door apart and crumbling the wall.

"CEASE FIRE, YOU IDIOTS!" Fourth leader yelled over the deafening gunfire. "WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE THE TARGETS!"

The men eased off their triggers. The dust cloud that was created had begun to settle, revealing a bullet-riddled wall and hallway. The main door was reduced to pieces of smoking metal.

There was no sign of the terrorists.

"William. Mason. Go check it out." Fifth squad's leader ordered.

Two men creped forward and kept their guns trained on the destroyed hallway. They took cover behind what was left of the wall and poked their heads out to scan the area.

"No sign of 'em." One man reported.

The second man let out a chuckle. "Bet they went to powder their noses or somethi…"

He was cut off as two kunais sailed through the air and impacted in the back of the two soldier's heads. Both men slumped to the floor, dead.

Everyone in the room jolted at the sudden occurrence and reassumed their positions, guns at the ready.

A minute passed.

The left wall exploded, showering the men in drywall. In the confusion, two shadows dashed into the room from the destroyed main doorway.

The shadow clad in purple was upon eighth squad's leader in an instant. The man saw his attacker out of the corner of his eye, but was too late to do anything about it. Unleashing a barrage of open-handed strikes and kicks, the man stumbled back and fell, no longer conscious.

The shadow clad in blue came across a soldier wielding a shotgun. Using her momentum, she planted an elbow to the man's gut, knocking the wind out of him. The man flew back through a cubicle wall, knocking over two other men.

The troops began to realize what was happening as the two shadows began to take down their squad mates, one by one. Three near the newly formed hole in the wall raised their assault rifles, lining up their sights with the nimbly female figures.

Suddenly, a third shadow emerged from the hole and landed on the center man. The other two wheeled around and pointed their guns at the shadow clad in black. The figure stood and brought out her weapons, a pair of white and black pistols. It was a race to see who could shoot first. The men had their weapons leveled, but the figure was already firing. The men fell with bullet holes in their chests.

Ayane had finished with her sixth soldier and spotted her seventh. The man already had his shotgun trained on her. She leapt to the side as an overturned desk exploded in a shower of wooden slivers. She flung the last of her shuriken at the soldier. One caught the man in his hand that caused him to drop his weapon. The second plunged into his arm. The third and final one was now located in his throat. The man gasped, gurgled, and fell.

Kasumi cut through a sub-machine gun and then brought her foot across its wielder's face. The soldier flipped through the air and landed in an undignified heap.

Another man pointed a shotgun at her. The copper-haired teen lashed out with her leg and kicked the gun out of the man's grip. With a flurry of precision strikes, Kasumi brought the man down, rendering him harmless.

She heard a man barking out orders, telling his squad to fall back. She traced the voice to a man who was motioning to the exit. No doubt the leader, Kasumi tightened her hold on her blade and sprang into the air.

The man looked up just in time to see a young female falling toward him.

Trish kept moving as she unleashed a hail of bullets upon the security forces of DOATEC. Men without bulletproof vests and armor were quickly dispatched of. Those that did, however, absorbed the blasts and returned fire. Trish continued pounding the troops with gunfire, pausing only to reload.

Once the herd was thinned to her liking, she switched from her guns to the Sparda. She flashed through the crowd, dicing her way to the end of the room. Those who were spared had a sudden loss of courage and bolted for the door.

Trish paused near the center of the room, waiting to see if there was anyone left to fight.

A moment passed.

Then another.

And another.

There was moaning of men who were injured and out of the fight, but there was no battle cries, sounds of reloading, or orders being yelled out.

"Yep, its over." Trish breathed and returned the massive blade to her back.

"For now." Ayane added as she walked up next to the blonde. "I'm sure there are still more out there."

"Probably." Trish let out a sigh. "The sad thing is, Dante and I have been in worse situations."

Ayane nodded. She understood. The battles they had fought so far in the DOATEC office building were a cakewalk compared to the siege of the Tri-tower.

Well, it was supposed to be.

She hated to admit it, but she was having difficulty completing this mission. So far she had freaked out on two DOATEC troops, balled like a little girl in front of her hated sister, and constantly found herself worrying about mother. All of these happenings were unprofessional and could have gotten her killed. In fact, if Trish had not dealt with the fourth battle suit than…

Ayane shook her head. Now was not the time to think about such things, especially when she was in the middle of an assignment.

But one thought did occur to her.

"Speaking of that arrogant moron, we should catch up to him. If he has mother with him, I don't want him getting his perverted hands on her."

Trish failed to stifle a laugh. Despite the youth's rather cold attitude, she was growing to like her.

"I wouldn't worry about that." Trish replied, still giggling. "I'm sure he can control himself."

"But where is he?" Kasumi joined in.

"He's still in the basement levels." Trish replied.

Kasumi's eyes widened. "There are soldiers still out there! He could be in trouble! We have to find… "

Trish interrupted with more laughter, this time not bothering to hold it back. "Oh, I wouldn't worry about that either. If anything, I'd be more concerned about…"

The floor trembled as an explosion raced through the building.

"What was that?!" Ayane asked, the adrenaline returned to her veins.

"It came from downstairs, like last time." Kasumi answered.

"Last time?" Trish inquired.

"Yeah." Ayane remembered. "Earlier, it sounded like a…scream or…"

"A roar?" Trish finished.

Both girls nodded.

Trish frowned. She thought she felt something odd about this place. When the soldiers attacked, she passed it off as just her senses trying to tell her it was a trap, but now she knew why.

There was a demon nearby. And it was likely Dante was fighting it.

"We better move it if we want to get to him in time." Kasumi announced.

"No." Trish replied. "There are still a lot of floors between us and him."

"And DOATEC probably still has more surprises in store." The violet kunoichi added.

"What should we do? We can't just wait here and do nothing." Kasumi was getting more worried by each passing moment.

A few seconds passed as silence filled the room. Trish went over the plan she concocted in her head. It was the quickest way, but there was one problem.

"I have an idea." Trish announced.

The two ninjas gave her their undivided attention.

"I have a little trick I picked up from…my old boss." Trish almost told about her previous allegiance. "I can get us to Dante without going through the floors…or more soldiers."

"But…how?" Kasumi was intrigued.

"Teleportation." The blonde answered. "The problem is that I don't know where he is exactly."

Unfortunately, that was not the only problem. When she was still under Mundus's control, she could teleport with ease. Not only because she knew the island's geography so well, but also because her power was linked to the King of the Underworld.

But now that she was no longer apart of his army, Trish had to use her own power to teleport.

She had practiced her ability after Dante's job at Mallet Island, but complications arose. She still could teleport, but the energy needed to do so was incredible. After doing a big leap or several small ones, she felt drained. She had decided to abandon her ability as it consumed too much power to make it useful.

Now she was not only going to teleport, but have others in tow. Something she had never tried before. She had no idea what the after affects could be.

Trish noticed that Ayane's lips were moving.

"…fight our way through them, but that would take too long."

"So, looks like your plan is the best one, Trish." Kasumi said.

Trish blinked. They had discussed the alternatives and reached a conclusion while she was busy with her thoughts.

A smile formed on her face. "Okay. But I should warn you, this might not work."

She held out her hands. Ayane grasped the left while Kasumi took the right. They watched with fascination as Trish closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and concentrated.

"Please let this work." The demoness prayed.

Unbeknownst to her, the other two were making similar prayers.

Golden energy began to swirl around Trish. Then it began to envelope the two teens. Kasumi tried to speak, but could not form words.

Then everything went white.

_Donovan's laboratory_

_United States_

_Wednesday-11:42 p.m._

"Lieutenant McKain here."

"Status, Lieutenant."

"In a word, bad. We've lost First, Fourth, Fifth, Seventh, Eighth, and Tenth squads, sir. Second and Third are rounding up survivors. Sixth and Ninth squads are on patrol right now. I'm not sure if we can stop them."

"I see. Very well then, hold your positions. Clean up crews and medical personnel are en-route."

"Understood."

Donovan tapped his keyboard and closed the channel to the militia stationed at the office building. It appeared that he had underestimated his opponents. He knew that the two female ninjas would put up a fight, but it appeared that Dante and his partner were no slouches either when it came to fighting.

No matter. Defeating them was not the goal, but rather to keep up appearances. Like his ally stated, making it too easy would only cause them to arouse suspicion. Still, he did not like the idea of wasting ten squads of good troops with the latest in DOATEC weapons development. But in the end, it will have been well worth it.

"I take it that _they_ have begun their rescue operation?"

The aging scientist shot his ally a quick glance. "Yes. So far they have turned my security forces into mincemeat. And as for that mechanical lizard of yours, I don't think it will be able to hold off Dante _and_ his new friends."

"True, but I never expected Apophis to win at all." The man said, moving toward the exit.

"And where are you going?" Donovan asked.

"I think it's time Dante and I meet. Face to face."

With that, the man took his leave.

Donovan swiveled in his chair. Things were going according to plan…so far.

While the plans they had formed were only in the early phases, no complications had formed. Everyone was acting the way they were supposed to.

He briefly wondered about the future. Once he got what he wanted, there would not be anyone left that would prove to be a worthy challenge for his latest project.

He had gotten use to having to battle the ninjas and the other DOA participants to achieve his goals, but once they were out of the way, he would be essentially unstoppable, especially when the Beta projects was finished.

Donovan paused for a moment. He was thinking too far ahead. Right now he needed to focus on the tasks at hand. He had not won…yet.

He got up from his chair and calmly walked to two large tubes. Each one had a female figure inside. They were the same, yet different. They would be his ultimate weapons.

He had found the flaw with Alpha-152. It was powerful, but it was alone. The Beta series would be different. Project Beta would involve pairs. They would use team tactics to claim victory.

Beta-1 was a copy of Alpha-152 in every aspect. But Beta-2 was different. The DNA used to create it was not from Kasumi, but from another subject.

Donovan placed a hand on the tube for Beta-2. "You're time is coming. Soon you and your sister will be complete. You'll be perfect."

The clone of Ayane opened its eyes and gazed back at its creator.

_The Devil's Library_

_Herein lies the bestiary of the demons in this tale so far_

Apophis-The soul of an ancient dragon infused with the demonic elemental power of the Crimson Lightning. In essence, a demon composed of electricity. It is unknown if the soul belonged to the actual Apophis of Egyptian mythology or not.


	10. family reunions

A/N: The next chapter might take a bit longer. I'm moving soon, which means I'll be a lot busier. But I am as dedicated to finishing this story now more than ever, so no worries. Anyway, enjoy!

Disclaimer: DMC owned by Capcom. DOA and NG owned by Team Ninja and Tecmo.

Chapter 10. With more to come.

**Dead or Alive 4: The Devil Factor**

**Chapter 10: Family Reunions**

_DOATEC office building_

_United States_

_Wednesday-11:51 p.m._

Apophis growled and swiveled its head about. It could no longer see its target, but it could still feel his presence nearby.

The battle with the silver manned hunter of devils proved to be more bothersome than it had originally thought. The blood of the powerful but treacherous Sparda did, indeed, flow in this mortal's veins. But his demonic heritage was polluted with human blood. He was supposed to be weaker, so how could a mere half-breed, a creature that was virtually inferior to a full-fledged demon like itself, be able to hold his own so far?

Another question would have been how could such a creature exist? Half-breeds were considered just as vile to the pathetic humans as it did to the demons. Perhaps this arrogant man whose heart pumped the putrid blood of Sparda had suffered in this world. Yes, the mortal had suffered in his youth. It could smell it. However, if it killed this so-called devil hunter, than Apophis would commit a mercy killing, and mercy was one of the most disgusting acts a demon could make and…no, wait. Not an act of mercy, but an act of punishment! Yes, it would send this insignificant whelp to Hell and ensure that Dante would receive the punishment he so rightly deserved!

Pumped up by its own internal speech of revenge, the dragon demon roared with malice and excitement. Soon it will become a legend, the demon that killed the son of Sparda and brought about the reckoning that the Sparda family was long due for.

Dante reloaded Ebony and Ivory. His bout with the demon-possessed machine was difficult to say the least. Not that his fights with other high-level demons was a stroll in the park. He had to end this quickly. The sooner he reduced the walking junk heap to scrap metal, the sooner he could grab the chick and hightail it back to his shop, were a cold one was waiting for him in the fridge.

"Alright, let's wrap this party up! It's getting a bit boring anyways." Dante announced. He whipped his two handguns up and pointed them at Apophis.

A golden light blinked into existence from the far side of the room, causing Dante to shield his eyes. The dragon also paused, only due to the fact that it could sense the energy radiating from…whatever it was.

"What the…" Dante muttered. The light grew brighter, until finally it dissipated, revealing three newcomers.

Kasumi blinked. Did it work? Were they near Dante? She slowly took in her surroundings.

They were in a very large room, shaped like an octagon. One of the biggest she ever saw. There were no windows, no furniture, just emptiness. The floor and walls were covered with sheets of metal. There were signs of battle though. Scorch marks and spent shell casings littered the floor. Several light fixtures were blown out, making half the floor shrouded in darkness. Near the center of the room, was a familiar red-wearing man.

"Dante!" The copper-haired teen yelled. "There you are! Are you alright? We…"

Ayane's hand shoot out and clutched Kasumi's arm as the runaway attempted to run to Dante. Kasumi looked back, about to ask her sister why she stopped her. Her question died when she gazed at Ayane's face. The younger teen was looking at something. Something that made her seem uneasy and perhaps…afraid? Kasumi followed Ayane's gaze and discovered what it was that put such an emotion into her otherwise fearless sibling.

With widened eyes the runaway beheld the largest creature she ever saw. Was it a dragon? She had heard about them, but she never saw one in her life. Wait. The thing appeared to be mechanical, a robot perhaps? No, not that either. There was an aurora around it, a red, sinister aurora that spoke volumes about its power and its dark nature.

This was no dragon or machine, but a real-life demon.

Kasumi was dumbstruck. Demons were more than rare in these modern times. To see one that held such power was almost an impossibility.

"We have to help him! We…" Kasumi cut herself off as she heard someone slumping to the ground.

Also hearing the same sound, Ayane turned with Kasumi to see Trish on all fours, her face showed signs of exertion as sweat trickled off her chin. Her breathing was labored and her arms quaked, threatening to give out. Kasumi knelt down next to her in an instant, grasping the blonde's trembling shoulders with both hands.

"Trish! Trish, are you okay?!" Kasumi asked in a panicked tone.

Trish raised her head, wearing an obviously false look of confidence. "Yeah. I'm…I'm fine." She forced a laugh. "Kinda…overdid…myself there. But I'll…be…fine. Just…f…"

Trish, having nothing left, collapsed.

"Trish!" Kasumi yelled. She checked the blonde's pulse. It was weak, but still there.

Apophis, perhaps out of boredom, located the source of the sudden occurrence of energy, as well as the noise, and launched a bloody bolt of demonically amplified electricity. The bolt sped through the air and slammed into the ground where the girls occupied. The attack detonated in a cloud of black smoke and red electrical discharge.

Dante, frozen in place, was unable to say anything. Before his disbelief became rage, he spotted movement out of the corner of his eye. In a shower of pink cherry blossoms, Ayane and Kasumi appeared with Trish's arms draped over each of the girls' shoulders.

"That was too close." Ayane thought as she helped set Trish down.

"I'll help Dante deal with this…thing. You take care of Trish." Ayane told her older half-sister.

Kasumi nodded.

"Don't worry about it!" Dante yelled back, waving a dismissive hand. "You girls have done enough. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the show!"

Dante pointed Rebellion at Apophis. The creature, while unable to see the gesture, instantly knew it was being challenged. It answered with a bone-chilling roar.

Ayane shifted on her feet. Just standing there, watching someone else fight was against everything in her being. She was trained to know that letting someone fight alone solely because they wanted to show off was essentially playing Russian roulette. Losing was just a matter of time. On the other hand, this was the perfect opportunity to see what Dante was capable of. If he was as powerful as they say, perhaps she could convince Hayate to continue hiring him for jobs like this. After all, they needed strong allies for their war on the vile DOATEC.

With a huff, she crossed her arms and watched Dante fight, if worse came to worst, she would join in and save his worthless butt.

Dante charged at the towering dragon. Hearing his approach, Apophis prepared for its counterattack. The crimson orbs reappeared along its wings and were soon airborne, heading right for the silver-haired hunter. With inhuman reflexes, Dante weaved between, leapt over, and dodged every sphere that his demonic opponent launched.

Almost at close range, Apophis snapped at the hunter. Rolling to the side, Dante dodged the attack. Once on his feet, Dante sprang into the air and sailed over the head of the demonic machine. Hanging upside-down in the air, Dante began to spin, firing his handguns down upon the beast. Most ricocheted off the armor plating, but a few found the exposed section on its head. A fountain of sparks gushed out of the top of Apophis's skull, causing the demon to roar and bellow.

The demon stumbled about, dazed from the attack. Dante launched himself back into the air, preparing to finish the battle. Apophis began to lash out with its claws and tail in seemingly random directions, hoping to get lucky and land a hit. Dante twisted in the air to dodge the sloppy strikes. A claw, however, found him and swatted him out of the air like a fly. He hit the ground and rolled.

"Sonofa…" Dante growled at Apophis, pushing himself off the ground. "What is it with you and sucker punches?"

Apophis, having regained its wits, let out a triumphant roar. Victory was still in its grasp.

Dante grinned. A plan formulated in his mind.

With his sword in hand, Dante began to focus his demonic power into the blade. Dark crimson energy crackled through Rebellion. Slashing the sword with the blade facing the opposite way, the hunter unleashed a stream of energy across the ground, aimed at his dragon-like enemy. The stream hit Apophis's leg, causing the beast to stumble and fall. The demon struggled to stand on its damaged leg, only to have the hunter reclaim its position on its head. Dante pointed the shotgun at the exposed circuitry, channeled his demon energy into the gun, and fired. A 12-gauge round infused with Dante's own dark power ripped through the demon's delicate internal workings, causing overloads and short outs throughout the demon's otherworldly software.

The ninja sisters watched with open jaws as the demon thrashed about violently, screeching and hollering in pain. The red energy that it wielded began to accumulate along its body. The light it emitted was building, causing a blinding light to shine out, followed by a thunderous explosion. The teens shielded their eyes from the blast. The light faded and the explosion disappeared into silence. Ayane opened her eyes and saw the smoldering wreckage that was once Apophis.

Kasumi gasped. "Dante?" She called out. "Dante where are you?"

Ayane and Kasumi looked around, but found no trace of the hunter.

"Talk about going out with a bang."

Dante strolled out of the smoke, his hands stuffed in his pockets. Kasumi let out a sigh of relief. Ayane, on the other hand, was surprised. Not because he survived the explosion, but that he seemed to be unharmed, even though she saw him get smacked around by four foot long claws that belonged to a very powerful mechanical dragon demon. Strangely enough, his coat bore the signs of the claws.

"How's Trish doin?" Dante called out.

Kasumi checked the sleeping demoness then responded. "She's fine. But she's still unconscious."

"She did that teleportation thing again, didn't she?" Dante asked his voice mixed with irritation and concern. "I told her that it was too big a gamble to do that and…"

Ayane saw the Crimson Lightning sprang out of the heap of metal and circuits and raced towards Dante.

"Dante! Behind you!"

It was too late. Dante turned just in time to see the red energy strike him dead on in the chest. Ayane, unable to move or speak, watched as the energy enveloped him. Kasumi felt her heart sank as the hunter who fought to help free her mother, was overtaken by the last act of his fallen enemy.

It was then that they realized that Dante was not in pain. On the contrary he seemed…amused. The blue and violet shinobis watched with unbreakable interest as the energy gathered around his hands and feet. Metal began to form around his arms and legs becoming a pair of gauntlets and greaves. The weapons were formed from the same black metal that composed Apophis's body. Strands of red electric current pulsed along the metal, as if the entire surface was conducting the demonic energy. The greaves came up to Dante's knees and ended in dragon-like feet, complete with talon-tipped toes. The gauntlets encased Dante's entire forearms. At the end of the gauntlets were sculpted dragon's heads similar to Apophis's. Dante's hands emerged from the open mouths. Curious, he curled his fingers to form fists. The dragon's heads snapped forward and enclosed around his hands.

Dante decided to test out his new toy. He spotted the damaged head of the now dead Apophis. Dante ran toward the head and kicked it into the air. Dante pulled his left arm back, the fist crackled with the red demon energy, then threw his fist at the head. A bolt of red electricity shoot out and struck the head. A shower of red sparks and metal dust fell to the ground as the head vaporized in a cloud of smoke.

Not through with his experiments, Dante began to lash out at the fragments that were littered around him. He punched and kicked through the demon-forged armor with ease. The two teens watched with ever growing interest as Dante continued to pummel the wreckage. His fists and feet glowed with a red demonic energy as he unleashed a series of blows that reduced a large portion of the demon's armored body into shards of metal.

"How…is this possible?" Ayane asked herself. "He wasn't this fast or strong when he fought that thing." The weapons that adorned Dante's wall flashed through her mind. "Wait, those weapons he received, they must be Devils Arms!"

Almost satisfied with his new weapons, Dante decided to try out one thing. He reared back and punched the ground, unleashing a sphere of bloody electricity that swept through the debris, swallowing everything in its path. The sphere vanished before it reached the three females.

Kasumi was, once again, taken aback. The wreckage was gone, annihilated by Dante's attack. Any trace of the demon he fought was now totally destroyed. She knew that the hunter was powerful, but she had no idea how skilled he was in dealing with the creatures of darkness or their frightening powers.

"He must have been fighting them all his life." She guessed. Sadness began to creep into her. "Fighting all his life. He's no different from me or Ayane."

Kasumi suddenly became aware of Trish as the blonde began to stir. Her eyes slowly opened.

"Trish?! You're awake!" Kasumi exclaimed.

The demoness groaned. "How can I sleep with all that racket?"

Dante calmly walked over to his conscious partner who was sitting up with Kasumi's help. "Awake from your nap, huh?"

Trish chuckled. "Yeah. I'll be fine though."

Dante's face changed from cocky to concerned. Usually Trish would have given a snappy comeback or teased him a little. Instead, she gave a quick reassurance, even though she seemed like she would pass out again at any moment. He knew he had better wrap this gig up.

"All right then." He said. "Let's grab your mom and get out of this dump."

--

"So, Apophis failed?" A silky smooth female voice asked.

"Hmph. The only thing that made that metal lizard powerful was the Crimson Lightning." A gruff, older male voice answered.

"True. And now that devil hunter has the power, what a shame." The female's voice held a mock tone of concern.

"Why are you so interested in that…half-breed?" The older man inquired.

The female paused before answering. "Let's just say, I have a…score to settle with his family."

"Nearly every demon has a score to settle with Sparda, what makes yours so special?"

The woman gave the man a venomous look. "What about you and that…child? What makes her so special, huh?"

The man let out a deep, cold chuckle. "Just like you, I have a personal issue to deal with."

The woman let out an irritated huff. "Whatever. It's no business of mine."

A thick silence fell between the two as they continued to gaze at the DOATEC office building from afar. Ever since Dante and the others entered the building, the two had watched from their perch, somehow able to know what was happening inside without seeing. The two were as demon as the dragon Dante faced.

"We'd better go. The shows almost over and I hate sappy endings. Besides, we still have jobs to do. The…master…wants those jewels." The woman's voice held uncertainty when she mentioned her lord.

The man nodded. "Agreed. A pity. I wanted to see what would happen when Dante and…him… meet." Unlike the woman, the man's voice became filled with disgust when he mentioned his master. Bowing to someone as his superior was something that made his blood boil.

The two gave the tower a quick glance before fading into the night.

--

Ayane let out an irritated sigh. Here they were, literally standing at the door that led to their mother after facing and besting an army of DOATEC troops and a powerful demon. Now they only thing stopping them was a stupid lock.

"If this was a normal lock, I could've picked it by now. But noooooo. It has to be one of those fancy electronically locks that require a key card or something." She thought to herself.

Kasumi studied the control panel with a baffled look on her face. She reached up and pressed a few buttons at random. 'Access Denied'flashed on the digital display. Her brow scrunched together as her confusion grew. She tapped a few more buttons, only to receive the same message.

"Hey!" Dante spoke up. "Are you gonna open this thing or what? I wanna be outta here before the cops decide to drop by."

Trish merely groaned. She wanted to tell the silver-haired man to zip it, but since he was helping her stand at the moment, she decided to let it slide…for now. Once she regained her strength, she would make sure Dante would get a full lecture about rudeness and…

"Dear God." She muttered unbelievably. "I'm thinking about scolding him like a brat."

"You say sumthin'?" Dante asked.

"Huh? Oh, it's nothing." She replied sheepishly.

Dante gave his exhausted partner an accusing look before returning his attention to the teens and the lock. Ayane was deep in thought and Kasumi was still tinkering with the control panel.

"That's it! I ain't waitin' any longer!" Dante announced as he marched over to Ayane and handed her Trish.

"Wait! What are you doing?!"" Ayane asked while trying to support the older woman by herself.

Dante did not answer as he stood before the armored door and gently pushed Kasumi out of the way. Stepping back, the blue-clad shinobi watched as in a flash of red light, the gauntlets and greaves reappeared on Dante's arms and legs. With a smirk, Dante slammed his Devil Arms enhanced fist into the door, creating a large dent. The door hoisted the white flag and collapsed.

"Brute." Ayane muttered with distain.

Dante turned to face the younger sister, a smile still plastered on his face. "You complaining with the results, babe? Hate to be married to you if you bitch and moan about everything." He gave a wink before the gauntlets and greaves disappeared in the same red flash.

Ayane became horrified when she felt herself blush. "Shut up…you…you…"

"Hello? Who…who's there?" A meek, yet mature female voice, thick with a Japanese accent, called out from the room.

The two siblings instantly recognized the voice. "Mother?" They both asked in unison.

A middle-aged woman exited the tiny room, carefully stepping over the demolished door. Despite her age she was very beautiful. Her face bore a resemblance to both Kasumi and Ayane. Her light brown hair hung past her shoulders blades. She was clad in a dark blue kimono with a deep purple obi. Small, purple butterflies were intricately sewn across the edges. The petite woman was only slightly taller than her two daughters. As soon as the woman stepped out of the room, something blue and red streaked forward and attached itself to her.

"Mother! I was so worried about you! Are you alright?! Are you hurt?!" Kasumi asked with watery eyes.

The woman blinked in surprise before realizing whom it was that held her in such a tight hold. With a laugh and a smile, she folded her arms around her older daughter, returning the hug. "I'm fine, sweetheart."

Kasumi's eyes lit up as a smile of relief spread across her face. She buried herself into her mother's chest, her fingers clutching the fabric of the kimono.

Ayane watched the reunion of mother and daughter before her with clashing emotions. She felt somewhat disgusted with watching her hated half-sister become so emotional over her mother. It was almost like she was mocking her that she was so close to their mother while she was considered a curse to their family. She also felt uneasy. They were standing around with tearful hellos while the enemy was still in the building. She wanted to break up the sappiness and get everyone home. Although the feeling of disgust might have also influenced that thought. Finally, she felt jealous. She wanted to be held by mother too. To be accepted by her as a daughter. But she could not. All she could do was watch and want.

Suddenly Trish was lifted off her shoulder. Surprised, Ayane whirled her head around to see Dante slinging Trish's arm over his shoulder. Despite the impassive look on his face, she knew what he was saying to her. She looked over to where her mother stood, still holding onto a crying Kasumi. She sent an impulse to her legs to move, then quickly willed them to stop. No. Dante did not know that she could never be close to her mother.

"I…I can't. I know she's my mother but…I just can't!" Ayane stuttered, looking away from Dante.

"Ayane? Is that you?" Ayame called out.

The lavender-haired teen's back became straight at the sound of her mother's voice. Her heart raced, pumping the blood needed to create the blush in her cheeks.

"Y…yes, Lady Ayame?" She asked in a trembling, but polite voice.

The heartwarming smile Ayame wore seemed to grow at her younger daughter's meekness. She held out an arm, beckoning the younger sister to join them. Fear held her in place, however. A panicked expression was painted on her face. This was not supposed to be happening. She was her daughter, true, but they could not just…announce it. Ayane was a stain on the ruling family. Her birth was held in the highest of secrecy. In order to avoid certain…conflicts that might arise, she had to maintain the image that she had no family, that the way of the ninja was the only thing in her life. That…

Ayane let out a yelp as she was shoved, scattering her depressing thoughts. She stumbled forward until an arm grabbed her, pulled her in, and then wrapped itself around her. The violet teen's body became stiff as she realized that the warmth around her was her mother's body. She never thought it possible, but her heart was beating faster than before. Her mind was attempting to tell her body to break free. That being held by her mother was forbidden for her. But her body refused to obey. Despite all of the impossibilities that she believed in, she was in the arms of her mother, something she had never experienced before.

Ayame kissed the top of her head.

"This…can't be happening. It can't!" Ayane thought. "How can she accept me like this?! It's not possible! She…I…" Ayane's thoughts became garbled. No matter how hard she tried, an answer to her mother's sudden affections was still beyond her grasp.

"You're just a big softie, you know that?" Trish whispered to her partner. "Although, I'm not sure that you had to push the girl like that."

Dante said nothing as he continued to watch.

Trish's smile faded. Dante's face no longer held its usually carefree and cocky look. Instead he looked…alone.

Dante spoke up, before Trish could speak her mind. "Hate to break this 'Hallmark' moment up, but you can do this later. We'd better move."

Ayame looked up at the source of the voice as she released her two daughters.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" Kasumi chirped. "These two helped us find you. This is Trish and…"

"Dante!" Ayame finished, surprising everyone. She gracefully walked up to the dumbfounded hunter and took hold of his hands. "I can't believe this! Is it really you?!"

The red-clad man blinked in astonishment. "Do…Do I know you?"

The smile she wore still held strong. "I suppose you don't remember. It was so long ago…" Ayame trailed off then shook her head. "No. You were right. We can talk about this later."

Dante looked around and saw the same shocked look on everyone's face. It appeared that he was not alone in the awkward feeling. Perhaps she had misspoken something, as she appeared to have some difficulty pronouncing words in English.

The group made their way to the elevator. Dante led the way with Trish falling behind him. She had assured him that she could walk by herself, despite her ragged breathing. Kasumi was firing off questions at rapid fire pace to her mother, asking about her well being as well as how she was taken. Ayame tried her best to answer, only avoiding the questions that involved Dante. Ayane took up the rear, watching the conversation. She was confused. While she had enjoyed the contact with her mother, she was unsure why she was so…affectionate to her. Nor did she understand why Ayame was so calm and pleasant despite being held captive by DOATEC and their new demonic allies.

"Nothing is making sense anymore." She whispered.

Dante stopped in front of the elevator. He looked for a panel to call the elevator, but there was none. However, he heard the elevator starting to descend. The red wearing man began tapping his foot impatiently until a thought crossed his mind. Since Trish teleported here with the girls, then that meant he used the elevator last. So why was it back on the floor above?

Dante started to become uneasy. Something was wrong, he could feel it. The alarms in his head were going off again. Experience in his job of devil hunting had taught him to trust his instincts, no matter how absurd.

Trish could sense the tension inside Dante. "What's wrong?" She asked. The other three females also took notice of Dante, giving him odd looks.

"Don't know." He truthfully responded.

A musical ping informed everyone that the elevator had arrived. The metal doors slid open. In a flash, Dante whipped out Ivory just a he felt cold steel being pressed against his neck. Trish froze in terror. Ayame instinctively reached out and brought her two children closer to her, ready to protect them with her life. Kasumi and Ayane were flabbergasted. They looked from Dante to the other man in the elevator and back again.

It did not make any sense. How could there be TWO Dantes?

Dante gave a predatory smirk. "It never fails. Just when I get my life together, you come and fuck it all up."

Donovan's ally spoke with calmness and coldness. "I've come to see you and that's the greeting I receive? You need to work on your social skills, brother."

Ayame shivered. She knew of this man. She drew her children closer as she whispered the man's name.

"Vergil."

_Airline 143-Non stop flight to Germany_

_Currently over Poland._

_Thursday-12:18 a.m._

"Would you like a pillow and blanket, sir?" The bubbly, blonde flight attendant asked with a smile.

"No." The man replied. His arms were crossed over his chest and his eyes were closed, making the attendant think that he was falling asleep.

"Well, if you need anything, please don't hesitate to call." With that, the attendant left to check on the other passengers.

With a sigh, Hayate looked out the window. The events of his life, his clan, and family continued to play through his mind, making sleep unattainable. His village's destruction, the death's of his ninjas, the news of his father's demise, and the fiend turned demon Doku, it all seemed so, surreal. But he knew it was no dream.

Now that he had time to reflect, he could clearly see how his life was spinning out of control. It had come to a point where he was actually seeking help outside the clan, an act that a few weeks ago he felt not only unnecessary, but also forbidden. 'Dragging others into our battle with DOATEC will not be permitted'. He had said that exactly one week before Doku's attack. It's funny how life can take his stance on outside help and turn it upside down.

His thoughts finally settled on the young woman he was going to meet. Hitomi, the daughter of the family that took him in when he lost his memories, the girl that was essentially his third little sister. He owed so much to her and her family, and here he was, on his way to ask her to join a battle with DOATEC that just became an unholy war.

"Maybe she'll decline." Hayate thought. "Then she won't have to fight my war." That idea quickly died. She was just as attached to him as his sisters. She would jump at the chance to join him.

When he was Ein, Hitomi's family became his family. And he did not want this family to suffer like his real family.

Images of his life as Ein replaced the frightening ones of his current life. Instead of his home burning, he saw the large house of Hitomi's family where he lived. Instead of the corpses of his ninjas, he saw the determined faces of children who took their lessons at the dojo. Instead of seeing his father's freshly covered grave, he saw Hitomi's father teaching him how to master Karate. Instead of Doku's monstrous form, he saw the innocent look of Hitomi smiling at him. These thoughts were very…soothing.

"Am I really doing the right thing?" He asked himself.

Despite all of the reasons he had for fighting against DOATEC and saving humanity from its evil, nothing made him feel any better about what he was about to do.

_DOATEC office building_

_United States_

_Thursday-12:23 a.m._

Ayane's eyes widened. Vergil? This man was…Dante's brother? But Vergil was supposed to be dead. That was what Dante said. Somehow the situation had grown even more confusing.

Dante's grin was still on his face, but it held none of his usual cockiness or playfulness. This smile was filled with malice and excitement, like Vergil's very presence brought out some sort of pleasurable urge to fight within him. Kasumi shivered at the sight of Dante pressing his gun into his own brother's forehead as Vergil pressed the tip of his sword against Dante's throat.

Trish was held in place both due to her exhaustion as well as her shock. She remembered Dante's ill-fated brother when he was Nelo Angelo, one of Mundus's demon lieutenants. Now he was back, but no longer a demonic reincarnation. His face was identical to Dante's with the exception of his hair being slicked back like when he was younger and his eyes were bitter cold. Vergil wore a dark blue business suit with a golden tie and buttons. A dark blue coat was draped over his shoulders like a cape and was held on by a single golden chain. An eastern style blade, the Yamato, was held firmly in his right hand, with his left holding its sheath.

"Well, well." Dante said, finally breaking the deathly silence. "Looks like we got ourselves a family reunion. The girls got their mom and I meet you." He let out a chuckle. "The only thing missing are the tacky decorations and the potato salad."

Vergil's face was stone as he spoke. "Indeed." He gave a quick glance at Trish before returning his gaze to his younger brother. "I see you are still clinging to that abomination that resembles mother."

No one except Vergil noticed the quick flash of pure anger in Dante's eyes.

"And I see you're still an arrogant prick. What's wrong? Ain't you still Mundus's puppy dog, or did he get tired of you losing?"

Vergil gave a small, but very cold smile. "True, I was under Mundus's control for a while. But thanks to you, little brother, I am free once more." The smile fell. "And I can now properly repay you."

"Get in line, pal." Dante retorted. "I got half the underworld after my head."

"And despite this, you have grown soft." The blue-clad man calmly informed. "Without me around, you aren't being pushed to your limits. I saw your fight with Apophis. Sloppy. You should have won that fight without breaking a sweat, but instead you were its play toy for over ten minutes."

"Like you could do better, jackass." Dante growled.

It was Vergil's turn to smirk. "How do you think I recruited him? I bested him in combat and brought him under my control. Unlike you, I was trapped in the demon world where my strength and skills were put to the test constantly. But not you. You lived here in the human world, only coming across annoyances." The smirk disappeared. "I became stronger, while you became weaker."

Dante let out an irritated humph. "I doubt you escaped from hell and sicked your pet dragon on me just to teach me a lesson. So what's the deal?"

Vergil's voice never wavered from his usual calmness as he spoke. "I also wanted to see these so-called shinobis of the Mugen Tenshin Clan. The ones that I came across were a disappointment."

"The ones he came across?" Kasumi thought. "Then that means…"

"It was you, wasn't it?" Ayane spoke, unknowingly asking out loud what her older sister was thinking.

"You're the one that killed the ninja team sent to find Donovan!" Everyone became focused on the youngest ninja. Everyone except for the two sons of Sparda, who found each other's weapons a bit more interesting.

The now infuriated teen's blood began to boil as Vergil continued to ignore her. "Answer me, you son of a…!"

"You are correct."

Ayane's anger became disbelief over the man's sudden truthfulness.

"I also sent Doku to your village to test your strength." His voice somehow became a few degrees colder. "Like before, a disappointment."

Ayame tightened her grip on her daughter to prevent her from breaking free and charging Dante's twin.

"You sure know how to sweet talk the ladies, I'll give you that." Dante said.

"I've seen what I needed to see." Vergil flatly informed.

"Okay then." Dante replied.

No one moved. No one breathed as the seconds ticked by. The tension mounted as Dante and Vergil continued to stare each other down, their weapons pointed at each other. The female onlookers were nervous about the situation, unsure of what could happen. Finally, the tension snapped.

Dante squeezed the trigger as Vergil flicked his wrist.

Ayame brought her children closer to her, shielding them from the sight of the lifeless bodies of Dante and Vergil falling to the floor. Ayame caught a glimpse of Trish who looked…calm. Maybe the shock of seeing Dante being killed overloaded her senses. And she knew that both were dead. Dante's throat was sliced open and Vergil had a bullet hole in his forehead.

Her ability for rational thought came screeching to a halt as the bodies began to stir…and rise.

Dante rose to his full height, the gash across his throat began to heal until the only clue of his injury was the blood smeared on his shirt. Vergil dug into his own forehead with his thumb and forefinger. He retrieved the bullet from his skull, and then calmly flicked it aside as the wound healed.

Ayame did not realize that her hold on her daughters had waned, allowing them to turn and see the miraculous event. Both were too amazed to think.

"Need some aspirin?" Dante chuckled.

Vergil placed his sword back into its sheath. "I have a feeling we'll met again, Dante. But I suggest you rethink about your need to protect these humans."

Before Dante could respond. A black mist appeared and swarmed over Vergil's body. Then the mist vanished along with the katana wielding half-demon. With a sigh, Dante placed Ivory back into its holster.

"You okay?" Trish asked in a hushed voice.

"Peachy." Dante grumbled as he walked to the elevator.

_Helena's suite_

_France_

_Friday-9:03 a.m._

"Your dog's bath went as scheduled. His pedicure is also complete."

Helena could barely stifle a giggle. Bayman's report to her was supposed to be in code to make it sound like a call from a pet spa, incase Donovan or any of the DOATEC's executives decide to monitor her. But his monotone voice discussing the pampering of her dog was something too comical to ignore.

"Did I say something, Miss Helena?" Bayman asked, trying to hide the irritation he felt.

"No, no. It was just…something on the T.V. That's all." She said. Despite the humorous sounding report, she understood what he said. The mission was a success and he had the information.

"Now then, make sure…that…" Helena trailed of. Her T.V. was indeed on, but muted and currently on a news channel. A headline on top of the screen read 'DOATEC Attacked Again!' and the scene showed one of DOATEC's office buildings with police and rescue vehicles crowded around it. The scene shifted to bullet torn hallways and bodies being carried out on stretchers.

"Is something wrong, Miss?" Bayman asked, curious as to why the French opera star suddenly cut herself off.

"One moment please." She quickly responded, un-muting the television.

"To recap our top story, terrorists have stuck DOATEC again. This time in one of DOATEC's many office centers that are situated around the world." The off-screen newsman reported as the images of the buildings interior and exterior continued to cycle through. "It is unknown whether the terrorists that were involved in this attack are the same ones or are linked to the terrorists that attacked the DOATEC Tri-tower. It is also unknown how many were involved in this incident, but one has been seen by eye-witnesses."

Footage from a security camera showed a man crashing his way through a formation of police, scattering them like ninepins. He did not use a weapon of any sort, not even the large sword on his back, just his fists. Helena almost dropped the phone when she realized that the man shown wore a red coat and had white hair.

Helena continued to stare at the television but became unaware of the images or of the voices that came from it. She was lost in her own world of thought, trying to figure out why a man who had been linked only to things of the supernatural would suddenly switch his sights on her late father's corporation.

A smile formed on her face. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're doing this just to get my attention."

"I'm sorry, Miss Helena, but I didn't quite catch that."

Helena blinked as she realized that Bayman was still on the line. "Oh it's nothing. I've just been thinking…" She watched the scene of Dante plowing through the police once more. "…about getting another dog."

There was a pause on the other end of the line. Bayman was no doubt confused, as what she had said was not something encoded. "My apologies again, Miss, but did you say…another dog?"

"Yes…" She replied, almost in a dream-like trance. " A red and white one."

_Devil May Cry building_

_United States_

_Friday-10:22 a.m._

"DANTE, YOU IDIOT!"

The silver-haired man rolled his eyes as Trish roared at him for the fifth time. At least the three other women were not around to see his latest chewing out.

"When I said to distract the cops so I could get everyone home, I meant get their attention and make them chase you around, NOT beat the shit out of the entire precinct." With a huff, she plopped down on the edge of Dante's desk. "Now your mug is on every news channel and I have a feeling that this isn't gonna blow over anytime soon."

"Oh relax, babe." Dante casually stated.

Trish opened her mouth to say something but quickly closed it, threw up her arms in sign of indifference, then got up to leave. "Whatever, Dante. It's your ass on the line here, not mine."

Dante smiled, he had won. However, the smile fell when he remembered something. "Trish."

The blond bombshell stopped at the door to the kitchen. After another unsuccessful argument with Dante, she needed a drink. "What is it now?"

Dante decided to ignore the obvious irritation in her voice. This had to be said. "Trish …about that night, when…you know."

The demoness instantly became focused on her partner.

"It wasn't you. I…" Dante closed his eyes and cursed himself. Having these types of talks was incredibly awkward. "You just…caught me by surprise. That's all."

"I know." Trish whispered loud enough for Dante to hear. "Just…take your time. I don't want to force you into anything you're not ready for."

Dante tried to respond, but the door closed, signaling that Trish had left.

With his victory over Trish short-lived, he slumped further into his chair. It was incredible on how a simple talk could feel so draining.

He closed his eyes and hoped that somehow, all of this would just blow over.

--

"…ante?"

The devil hunter heard a voice. It was a strange, soothing voice.

"Dante? Please…ke up."

Slowly, Dante's brain kicked on, processing the voice as he awoke. It was feminine, which really did not help him narrow it down to whom it belonged to.

"Dante? Please wake up. I want to talk to you."

It was young, meek, and had an air of innocence to it. Kasumi.

Opening his eyes, he confirmed it. The youth was dressed in a simple white T-shirt and jeans, carefully nudging him awake.

With a yawn he asked. "What time is it?"

"About five." She answered in a hushed voice.

"Oh…well it…WHAT?!" Dante looked at the clock hung up on the wall. Four fifty-five.

"I've been asleep at my desk for almost seven hours?!" Dante sat up straight. "How'd that happen?"

"We tried to wake you up a few times, but you just went back to sleep." The Japanese teen answered. "You must have been very tired."

"Damn." Dante muttered, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. "Well, anyway. What is it? Shouldn't you be with your mom or something? You sure were glad to see her."

Kasumi blushed as she spoke. "She's sleeping right now. I just wanted to say something to you."

"Well, spit it out already." Dante encouraged, reaching for an open bottle of beer.

"I just want to say…Thank you." She politely bowed. "You helped rescue my mother, for that I am eternally grateful."

"Forget it." Dante said, taking a swig. "Just doin' what your brother's paying me to do, that's all."

"No, I mean it! What you did for me…for my family and clan. We will never forget what you have done."

Dante stood and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Look, ya don't have to get all formal about this. Besides. I haven't figured out what my payment should be." He playfully added, letting go of her.

"Yes, well…I appreciate it, nonetheless. So…" Kasumi trailed off. She appeared to be thinking about something since her eye's kept darting back and forth, but always kept away from Dante. She fidgeted with her clothes, her nervousness growing. Before the half-devil could ask what troubled her, the teen sprang to the balls of her feet and closed the gap between the two. She landed a small kiss on his cheek.

"Thank you." She whispered.

Before Dante's brain could fully understand what had happened, a bright-red Kasumi excused herself from the room, informing him that dinner would be ready momentarily.

Dante touched his cheek. "That was…sudden."

Kasumi closed the door behind her. Her thoughts swarming with what she had done. She did not know what came over her. For some reason it just felt…right.

"Something wrong?"

Kasumi let out a squeak. She quickly spotted the source of the voice that startled her. Trish was sitting at the table, a bottle of wine half full nearby and an empty glass in her hand. A depressed look was adorned on her face.

Kasumi quickly gathered her wits. "No. I'm fine. But what about you? Are you alright Trish?"

Trish refilled her glass and downed half of it in one swig. "Gettin' there."

Kasumi shifted her weight uncomfortably. Not sure what to say, she made her way to the stove. She began to make dinner when Trish spoke up once more.

"Are you sure your alright? You seem awfully tense." Kasumi's body winced slightly at the older woman's voice. "I guess I can't blame you. Ever since I moved in with Dante, I think my blood pressure's gone through the roof."

"But…you love him, don't you?" Kasumi mentioned, almost regretting saying it aloud.

Trish paused as the glass contacted with her lips.

"I'm sorry! I shouldn't have asked that!" Kasumi blurted out, her face red with embarrassment. "I just thought that…since you are living together and…I am so very sorry!"

"No. You're right." Trish replied in a hushed voice. "I do."

Kasumi was baffled as how Trish would seem so melancholy over admitting her love.

A sad smile appeared on her as she turned to face Kasumi. "But I'm not sure that it would work out."

"Why? Does he not love you too?" Kasumi asked, cocking her head inquisitively.

"It's a long story, hun." She replied, finishing her drink.

"If it's okay with you, I'd like to hear it."

Surprise flashed across the demoness face, quickly followed by an amused look. "Alright then."

Trish pushed herself off her chair and walked over to the stove to help Kasumi with dinner.

"It all began about two years ago when I invited Dante to a place called Mallet Island…"

_The Devil's Armory_

_Herein lies the weapons The Hunters have obtained in this tale so far_

Apophis-A pair of gauntlets and greaves that are imbued with the demonic elemental power of the Crimson Lightning. With enhanced speed and strength, those who wield this weapon will be able to strike down their foes with lightning attacks.


	11. an offer to the devil

A/N: Man! This one took a bit. Sorry for the hold up but I had to move to an apartment, get use to my classes and all that college stuff. But anyway, here's my latest chap to my fic. Enjoy! Also, I learned the sword Kasumi uses is not a tanto, but a wakizsahi, an 18-inch blade. I have corrected this mistake in my previous chapters.

Disclaimer: DMC belongs to Capcom and DOA and Ninja Gaiden belong to Team Ninja and Tecmo. I am a broke college student, so I own jack.

Chapter 11. Keepin' it goin'

**Dead or Alive 4: The Devil Factor**

**Chapter 11: An Offer To The Devil**

_Hitomi's apartment_

_Germany_

_Friday-6:22 p.m._

The fire roared around the wind ninja as he stood at the center of the village. His home was turning to ash and his fellow clansmen were dying all around him. Before him was the creature that was the cause of all the death and destruction.

The Dark Samurai.

"It appears that the message has been received." Doku stated.

The anger boiled within the ninja until he could not control it any longer. He charged forward, his blade at the ready. The demon reached for his sword as well, preparing to counterattack. The gap between them became smaller until…

"What's wrong, Ein? You've barely touched your plate."

Hayate was jerked back to reality as a feminine voice called to him. He blinked a few times, taking in his surroundings. He was sitting at the dinner table, a five course meal was set before him and his plate was filled with German cuisine. Across from him sat the girl that became his third sister.

"Ein are you ok? Do you need to lie down?" The half-Japanese girl asked with worry.

"No." Hayate softly answered, his German was still spot on. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure? You look like you're a million miles away."

Hayate did not respond as he became lost in his thoughts again. It had been over a day since he arrived and all he could do was let Hitomi cook for him and tell him stories about herself, her family, and the dojo. There was so many times where he could have told her the truth. What happened to him, his clan, and his mission. But all he could do was say that he was fine and that nothing was wrong.

"Why am I here? All I'm going to do is hurt her."

"Ein? What is wrong with you? Talk to me!"

The Mugen-Tenshin Clan leader suddenly found himself being shaken by an obviously upset young woman.

"Hitomi! I'm fine. I…"

"Don't lie to me!" Hitomi yelled. "You've been a zombie since you came here." The look in her eyes softened. "Please, you can tell me. I care about you, Ein."

"I…" the Japanese man hesitated, but quickly regained his courage. He was here for a reason and he could not wait any longer. "Very well. I will tell you."

Hitomi smiled. She grabbed her seat and moved closer to Hayate so that she was staring right at him, her attention focused.

_Christie's Safe House_

_Great Britain_

_Friday-7:09 p.m._

The rain poured on the London streets, drenching those who tried to commute in the mighty city. A figure emerged through the curtain of water, its face obscured by an umbrella. Upon entering a building, the figure collapsed the umbrella to reveal the face of a young, eerily beautiful woman with snowy white hair. She placed her coat and umbrella on the coat rack and entered her condo. It was a bit smaller than her previous dwellings, but she had adapted. Besides, it was not like she would be staying for long. She hated remaining in one place for long, staying still for too long might get her caught. And getting caught would be pitifully unprofessional.

And Christie was definitely a professional.

She had just returned from her errands, including payment for use of her new home, and another payment to keep it off the books. Her other errand was currently located in the large, brown envelope in her hand. A copy of her target's hard drive and internet files.

It was common sense to keep a few of Helena's maids on her payroll.

A large, black panther lazily looked up at her master from her spot on the couch. She yawned, stretched, and then sluggishly leapt down as the British vixen sat down in a pre-warmed seat. Removing the CD from the envelope, she placed it in her laptop and waited for everything to upload.

Soon she would know what her prey had been up too.

As she waited, she began to ponder about recent events. It was strange, how she became fixated on the French woman. She never felt such…commitment…to an assassination. Was it that she was the only one to ever elude her? She had tried to kill the spoiled rich girl twice, and both ended in failure. She had never failed in a job until then. But the feeling she got was not of wounded pride or rage. It was more like a yearning, a taste in her mouth that would not wash out. Why she developed such feelings was a mystery to her.

But she did know one thing. The next time they met, only one would leave alive.

And there would be a next time. She would make sure of it.

The computer beeped, announcing that it was done with its task and was ready and waiting for another.

Snapped out of her deep thoughts, the female assassin accessed the information the disk contained and systematical scanned each file, looking for anything that might prove useful in her hunt.

Within a few minutes, she had gone through most of the data and found only mildly interesting things. It appeared that Helena was obtaining information about the various members of the DOATEC board members and their certain 'activities'. None of which she had any concern for, although she did feel a bit disappointed for not finding anything about Donovan. It would have been nice to have something to dangle over the head of that pompous scientist who acted like anyone who worked for him was his slave, but no matter.

An hour passed by with nothing of consequence found in the internet files or the copy of the hard drive. Pouring herself a glass of French red wine, she wondered if keeping tabs on Helena through her computer would prove worthwhile. A month's worth of files had proven little and she was no closer to formulating a plan on how to get at her target. She needed an angle. Something to draw her target in a situation she could use. Simply going into Helena's home and killing her there sure _sounded _easy. But the woman had beaten her twice and she did not feel like the third time would be the charm. She needed to draw the French female out into the open, in a place where she would have her guard down, and then strike.

True it was not an honorable way to achieve her kill, but in the world of contract killing, honor was pretty low on the list of needed skills.

Letting out a disappointed sigh, Christie decided to check the files Helena tried to delete and call it quits for the night. That was the funny thing about computers. Simply deleting data from your computer did not mean that it was gone. A fact she had exploited from some of her previous targets.

She blinked in surprise as an overwhelming number of files popped up, almost twice the amount that was on Helena's internet save list and hard drive. Most of it appeared to be information that was taken from the internet and DOATEC mainframe concerning the Dead or Alive tournaments. And a good portion of that was of rejected fighters. Or more precisely, of ONE rejected fighter.

"Hmmm. What do we have here?" Christie asked to no one in particular as she opened the file.

A mediocre picture of a white-haired, red coat wearing man appeared on her screen along with shards of information of said man. At first glance, she thought the man was just some fool trying to stand out in a crowd, like a certain American DJ that seemed to get on everyone's nerves. But upon closer inspection, she found some very…odd facts about the man. The very brief newspaper articles and reports told of supernatural events and unconfirmed battles. Another thing that caught her attention was that the man seemed somewhat familiar.

"Where have I seen you…?" She trailed off, before snapping to a conclusion.

She quickly accessed a television news internet site and played the latest videos concerning the recent attack on DOATEC. The man who took down over twenty law officers with his bare hands bore an uncanny resemblance to the man in the photo, despite the change of attire.

Resting her head in her hand, she wondered if this man was in the employment of Helena in her personal war on her own father's company. If that was true, he was worth investigating.

With a cool smile, she prepared to journey out into the rain once more to contact her sources and get more information about her target's new pet.

_Unknown Island_

_20 miles off the coast of Italy_

_Friday-7:12 p.m._

Gigantic waves crashed on the side of the mountainous island. The sun had long began its descent from the sky, but was still hovering over the ocean, casting its rays on the water's surface, making it shim with an orange hue. The rather wondrous scene was unfortunately unnoticed by Lucia as she looked over what was once a location of significant importance.

She stood on the spot where an archeological dig site was once stationed. But any sign of the site was long gone, as the dig happened over fifty years ago. The only reason Lucia knew of its existence was that the ones who excavated the site were members of the Protectorate. Those that were here before her sought after the secrets of the jewels, just like her. Except they left with only pieces of information, she hoped to be a bit more successful.

"But then again, they got here first," the half-demon thought and kicked a small stone, "and picked it clean."

"This is hopeless." A female voice called out.

Lucia turned to see Lady walk up to her. Lady had changed very little since she last saw her over a year ago. She retained her hair style and still appeared as youthful as ever.

Her outfit, however, had altered drastically since her first encounter with Dante years ago. Long gone were her white dress shirt and hot pants. Instead, she wore a white tank top and a black cargo vest with a mind-boggling amount of pockets, all of them containing extra ammunition. Green camo-print cargo shorts hugged tightly to her hips and a pair of knee-high black boots adored her feet. The 'skirt' made of ammo pouches was still present on her person.

Her weapon selection had changed somewhat as well. Two chrome plated Deseret Eagle pistols were placed securely into hip-holsters, extra clips strapped to her belt. A compact sub-machine gun and a sawed-off double-barreled shotgun were tied to her legs. Her favorite pistol held a place of honor in a gun holster that was located under her arm.

And, of course, the Kalina-Ann hung from her back.

Lucia had to admit, the last person she expected to see on this mission was Dante's old hunting buddy. Yet, when Matier ushered in the two that wanted to help with their search, she was only a little surprised as to the identity of one of them.

As for the other…

"I found nothing as well."

A third female joined the two. This newcomer that was with Lady was a complete mystery to Lucia. The woman had very blonde hair done in an intricate hairstyle, most likely to keep out of her eyes. Her outfit, if it could be called that, was a complex design of black and red leather held together by leather straps that only barely held her amble bust. Another oddity was her face, or more accurately, her makeup. She appeared to be wearing bright red lipstick. Why a hunter like her needed such accessories baffled her.

The only thing that attracted more attention than her clothes or physique was the obscenely large weapon she carried. The golden war hammer was easily as big as its owner, yet she wielded it like it was light as a feather.

To top it all off, she was part fiend, a creature that was neither human nor demon, a creature that she knew little about.

This Rachel was fascinating indeed.

"Why are we here?" Lady asked irritably. "If this placed was already searched, then we're wasting our time?"

Lucia knelt down to check a weather-worn inscription that was carved into a rock. "Because we don't know where the jewels are. We need information, and this excavation is one of the only clues we have."

"Hell." She thought. "It took twenty years just to prove that they exist."

While Lucia continued going over the site, Lady gazed out upon the sea, contemplating her life.

Ever since her adventure with Dante years ago, she had to hunt with a new sense of purpose. Revenge no longer fueled her. Anger no longer her power. The line between friend and foe had blurred, as she learned that demons were not all evil and that humans were not always the victim.

When she left Dante, she tried her best to make a difference. But no matter how hard she tried, it was like nothing she did mattered. No matter how many demons she killed or evil plots she foiled, more appeared to take their place. She felt like she was chipping away at a mountain with a garden shovel.

That's why she felt like she needed to take a partner. She could only do so much and an ally was what she needed. At first she was going to join Dante's little crew, but then she met her.

She remembered the meeting like it happened only yesterday. She tracked down a rather elusive demon that was terrorizing a small village in a remote part of Russia. She nailed it with her rocket launcher, but it somehow survived the blast and rushed her, catching her by surprise. She reached for her pistol, only to witness the large war hammer smash the little bastard into mush. The blonde appeared before her and after a quick introduction, followed by a lengthy dialogue of personal vendettas, both agreed to an alliance.

She felt a bit awkward about abandoning Dante, but she knew he did not need her. He was more than capable of dealing with demons himself. Besides having another demon hunting team in the world sounded pretty good to her.

Rachel sat upon a rock, strumming her fingers on her mighty weapon, also lost in thought. While she too pondered her new partnership, she primarily wondered about her sister, Alma. She had left her twin sister with some friends that trained her to harness her power. Hopefully they would be able to teach her sibling as well. After all, she was part fiend too.

After the battle over the Dark Dragon blade, she continued her fight against the fiends, but without their master, the Dark Emperor, the fiends became weak and as scarce as demons. In fact, when she began to bump into demons more and more during her adventures, she thought it wise to find someone who had experience with these beasts and Lady knew as much about demons as she did about fiends, the perfect teammate.

Well, almost perfect, she was still only human.

But then again, so was Ryu…

She shook her head. Of all the times to be reminiscing about him, now was not one of them.

With a sigh, Lucia stood and brushed the dirt from her clothes. There was nothing new here.

"All right, we're done here." She said, disappointedly.

"Where to now?" Rachel inquired as she removed herself from her sitting place.

Lucia began to walk away as she truthfully answered. "I wish I knew."

Then something caught her eye. It was metal and half-buried in the dirt. She reached down and retrieved the object.

"What is it?" Rachel asked.

"It's a clipboard." Lucia answered with surprise. It also looked somewhat new, which meant that it was not left behind by the Protectorate dig team half a century ago, and that meant that someone else was here before them.

A torn and dirty paper was still attached to it.

_Day 3_

_No new findings._

_I am now certain that whatever information that was kept here has already been recorded. There is also evidence that another archeological team had excavated the area before us, probably decades ago. Odd, since there is no record of such a dig in any historical achieves._

_We will begin to pack up and move to the next site tomorrow. Will keep you posted._

The other two women had squatted behind the half-demon so they too could read the note.

"How long ago was this written?" Asked Lady.

"By the looks of this paper, a while ago. A few weeks, a month maybe." Rachel guessed.

"Now the big question. Who?" Lady inquired.

Lucia flipped the clipboard over. "I think that answers your question."

On the back was the DOATEC corporate logo.

_Devil May Cry building_

_United States_

_Friday-7:52 p.m._

Dante stretched out on his bed. He was not especially tired, but the fact that he had four females currently chatting up a storm downstairs was all the excuse he needed to find sanctuary from the endless noise.

As he lay upon his mattress, many thoughts flew through his head, the job he was given, the girls and their histories, as well as their mother. But the one thought that kept creeping back into his mind was his encounter with his brother. To say he was surprised would be an understatement. He was almost damn sure that his older twin was gone forever.

But he was back, and it looked like nothing had changed between them.

"Just how many times do I have to do this shit?" He whispered to himself.

A small knock came from his door, making Dante sweep away his thoughts for later.

"Come in." He said with a hint of apathy. The door creaked open.

"Am I disturbing you?" A soft, yet mature voice asked.

Dante looked up briefly to see Ayame in his doorway.

"Nah, not really." He responded, plopping back down in his bed.

Ayame quietly entered the room, closing the door behind her. "I wish to speak with you, if I may."

Dante bristled at her request, remembering what happened with Trish when she wanted to talk. The uneasiness quickly vanished as he told himself that there was no way in hell that that was going to happen again, at least not with Ayame.

"What's up?"

Ayame stood before his bed, apparently nervous about something. "I know that my family and clan owe you a great debt for what you have done and…"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Dante interrupted, waving a dismissive hand. "And there's no way you can ever repay me. I heard it all from your daughter."

"Actually," Ayame commented. "I was wondering if you could…" She briefly trailed off, doubt forming on her face. Before Dante could ask what the matter was, Ayame regained her courage and picked up where she left off. "If you could…do something else." She faced Dante with determination in her eyes. "But not for my clan, but as a favor for me."

Dante sat up, now captivated by the Japanese woman's rather odd behavior. Yet, he remained suspicious.

"Just what type of favor?"

A silence fell between them as Ayame looked out his window. Whether she did it because she was thinking or because she simply could not look him in the eye was unknown to him.

"Will you take Kasumi as your wife?"

To that, Dante replied with the most intellectual statement he could muster. "Huh?"

Ayame took a deep breath and restated her question. "Will you marry my daughter?"

Rational thought was now far beyond Dante's capability, evident by his next reply. "Huh?"

"I know this must seem sudden to you. But please, I need you to be her husband. Her life depends on it."

"HUH?!" Never had the hunter been so baffled in his life.

"Let me explain." Ayame calmly informed. "As you probably know, Kasumi abandoned her role as clan leader when she went after…Raidou."

Dante caught a pained expression pass through her face as she mentioned the man. He had a feeling as to why.

"When she did that, she was branded as a runaway by our clan, thus, she will be hunted mercilessly until…" She trailed off again as her voice began to break. The thought of her daughter dead was something she could not even imagine.

"So where does a wedding fit into all of this?" Dante questioned, regaining some of his ability to speak.

"There is an old law in our clan, a very old law. If one of our clan is arranged to be married to an outsider, than their ties to the clan will become void, this means that her brand as a runaway would be lifted and her punishment nullified." Ayame sat down on the bed as she continued. "My clan would no longer have a reason to go after her life. She would be free."

Dante nodded, understanding what she said. "A loophole, eh? But if all she needs to do is get married to get her moody sister off her back, why didn't she shack up with that Ryu guy? They seem pretty close."

Ayame tried to stifle a laugh. "I'm afraid it's not that simple. One, she is unaware of this law. Two, I don't want to create any…conflicts with our clan and Ryu. There are some in our clan that would still hold resentment to my daughter even if she was no longer a runaway."

"Most likely some_one_." Dante mentally added, thinking of a certain purple-haired pipsqueak.

"And three, in order for the law to work, it has to be an _arranged _marriage. If she tried to get married on her own, she would still be considered a runaway. The marriage must be agreed upon by the parents of the children."

"Well you got a problem there. My folks are dead." Dante said.

"The marriage can also be made between the parents of the bride and the husband-to-be, himself and vice versa. In essence, as long as one of the parties in the arrangement is a parent or guardian of the bride or groom, it is considered an arranged marriage by our clan's standards."

Dante sat up and crossed his arms. "So, you're telling me that all you have to do is ask me to marry her in order to meet some old, crusty law so her clan or whatever doesn't have to kill her?"

A smile appeared on Ayame's face. "Well, you do have to accept."

Dante had never been more uncomfortable in his life. "Look, your daughter's…cute and all, but I ain't ready to get tied down yet. Besides, I don't think she would be cool with the idea."

"Perhaps. I will have to speak with her about it, but right now, that's the only way I can think of saving my child." She slowly stood and straightened out her kimono. "You do not have to reply right away, since my clan is currently occupied with DOATEC, there's really no rush."

"So, did they tell you about…?" Dante trailed off, not sure if it was his place to mention what happened to her home.

"Yes. I know." She said in a sad voice. "It's hard to believe that my home is gone along with my…husband" She trembled slightly. "I miss him so much."

Dante remained silent. Of all the things he was good at, being emotionally supportive was not one of them.

Wiping away her tears, she gave a tinkling laugh. "He was always so serious, so formal. He was renowned for his ability to keep calm in the direst of circumstances." Another laugh came from her, this one almost choked with sobs. "But during our wedding, he was so nervous! His face was so red…and…" She could speak no more. Her shoulders began to tremble and the sobs became louder and more frequent. She was quickly losing control.

Dante checked himself, NOW was the most uncomfortable moment in his life.

Unsure on what to do, he got up and moved next to the crying woman. He reached out, but quickly withdrew his hand before it reached her shoulder. Cursing himself for his inexperience in comforting women, he slowly reached out again. As soon as his finger tips brushed her shoulders, Ayame whirled around and latched onto Dante, crying into his shirt.

Paralyzed by amazement, Dante could only stare down at the woman who was now clinging to him, releasing all of the sorrow she kept locked up inside of her.

"She must have been holding this in since she found out about her husband." Dante thought. Placing his arm around her back and cradling her head with the other, the half-demon held Ayame close as she continued to cry.

It was odd. He never remembered his mother crying in front of him. Did she hide her feelings from him and Vergil when they were little? He remembered about the trouble she got in because of her family. The people of the town would shun and harass her all because she had half-breed children, even though the father was Sparda. But by then, his legend was already a myth, his reputation long gone. Yet, despite the hardships, she never shed a tear. Or did she when he and his brother were not around? This question disturbed Dante greatly.

He unconsciously held Ayame closer as the thought began to grow and manifest into images that Dante did not want to see. The anger he felt as a child resurfaced and began to slowly take over his senses.

"You can let me go now."

Dante was jerked back to reality as Ayame's voice pierced his thoughts. Flustered, he quickly let go of the woman and took a few steps back.

"Right. Sorry 'bout that." Dante muttered, jamming his hands into his pockets as he found a corner of the room very interesting.

A small giggle filled the room. "No need to be shy." She said. "Its weird having you act withdrawn. That's not the Dante I remember!"

Dante blinked as another memory came rushing back.

"Wait a minute." The silver-haired man stated, turning his full attention to the older woman. "You said we met before when we rescued you. How? I don't remember you."

Her smile never wavered. "I suppose you don't. It was many years ago when it happened."

Dante watched as she began to move to the window. "It must have been almost twenty years ago. Your father came to Japan to 'tie up lose ends' as he called it. He visited our clan briefly. You, your brother, and your mother were with him. While he discussed his business with my husband and father-in-law, the rest of you stayed in one of our huts." She shook her head as she continued to reminisce. "But not you. Your brother was well behaved, but you wouldn't sit still. Somehow, you escaped and ran into the forest."

She turned to Dante with an amused look. "How you managed that is still a mystery to us. Anyway, when my clan found out that you were gone, your mother panicked and the entire village began looking for you, then the search was spread out into the forest. My father-in-law sent out his best ninja to find you, but in the end, it was I who found you."

She placed a finger on her chin and tilted her head as she thought harder. "Well, I suppose you could say it was you who found me. I was out gathering herbs when all of a sudden this little boy comes bouncing up to me and asks, 'Watcha doin?'." She must have found her attempt at mimicking Dantes pre-pubescent voice humorous as she began to laugh. "You were so cute!"

Dante rolled his eyes. Just like all grown men, he hated it when people began talking about what they did as kids. He also did not remember his voice being so high-pitched.

"Oh well, at least she's not crying." He thought.

She finally calmed down enough to continue her story. "I was too surprised for words. I mean, here was this white-haired child, alone in a forest full of animals, and not one ounce of fear in his eyes. In fact, I remember you telling me that you'd protect me from the 'big, scary animals' when we made our way back. You even held my hand as we walked. It was just adorable!"

Dante groaned. If Enzo, Trish, or anyone else caught wind of this, he would never hear the end of it.

"Your mother was in tears when we came back to the village. She wouldn't let you out of her sight after that!" Ayame turned to Dante. "Your mother was a good woman, Dante. She was a better mother than I was."

The devil-hunter cocked an eyebrow. "What'd ya mean?"

"Look at my family, Dante. My oldest daughter is a runaway, my son has ordered her death, and I threw my youngest away instead of raising her as I should have." The tears appeared to be returning. "Where did I go wrong?"

Ayame was surprised as Dante started to laugh. "Oh, come on! In case no one filled you in, my family isn't exactly the 'Brady Bunch' either! So don't blame yourself." The smile on his face relaxed. "Trust me. Sometimes shit happens and there ain't a damn thing you can do about."

An awkward silence filled the room. Neither person knew what to say. Each was still absorbing what had been mentioned during their conversation.

After a few minutes, Ayame walked to the door. "Well, my offer still stands. Please, think it over. I know I am asking a lot, but it would mean so much to me. And I'm sure I could find some way to make it up to you."

With that, Ayame left Dante's room.

The platinum-haired man let out a humph. Make it up to him? She was asking him to marry a hot, young Asian girl that was essential every teenage boy's wet dream. Still, marriage was something he never had a passing thought for. Not even with Trish. And he did not want to even think what would happen if she or Ayane found out. He would get hell from both of them.

With a defeated sigh, he threw himself back on the bed and resumed his staring at the ceiling.

"Well God, anything else you wanna drop on me?" He said.

_La Rose Rouge_

_France_

_Friday-8:08 p.m._

Bayman tugged at the collar of his tuxedo. Despite the fact he was wearing very well tailored clothes he felt like a complete fool. He would rather be in army fatigues or his fighting clothes than this monkey suit.

He sat at one of the many tables at _La Rose Rouge_, the Red Rose, one of the finest dining and dancing establishments in all of France. Frequented by some of most popular and well know actors, politicians, and essentially anybody who's anybody, the restaurant had made a name for itself for hosting only the A-list. It was also the favorite dining establishment of the French Soprano, Helena. In fact, the only reason he was in the place was to meet her. She had arranged a sort of 'meeting' disguised as a friendly late-night dinner.

He was against the idea. First the place was way too crowded, even for a Friday night, increasing the chances of being eavesdropped. Two, it was unprofessional for a hitman to be seen with his client in public, even if no one else knew of the contract between them, it was still a gamble. And finally…he really hated the tuxedo.

"She had better have a damn good reason for this." He mumbled.

A sudden hush overcame the usually talkative crowd. Curious, Bayman looked up to see the cause of the sudden change in social climate.

Helena, dressed in a gorgeous pearl evening gown had entered the restaurant with an entourage of bodyguards in equally expensive tuxedos with sunglasses. The dancers quickly spread out to give the opera star room to move through. The bodyguards took flanking positions to her left, right, and back. They constantly scanned the crowd, seeing if there were any threats.

The assassin groaned. Barely in the door, and already she was drawing attention to herself. And those bodyguards were like a flag to let everyone know that something was up.

"Sorry to keep you waiting." The blonde beauty said as she took her seat. The bodyguards placed themselves around the table, facing the crowd.

"A bit much for protection, wouldn't you say Miss Douglas?" The Russian asked with a hint of sarcasm.

"You mean my new fans?" Helena said with an amused chuckle. "You can thank the DOATEC higher-ups and their paranoia for this. Don't worry. I've made sure that they're paid enough to keep this meeting to themselves."

Bayman eyed the men who seemed to be taking their jobs very seriously. "What is it that you wanted to talk to me about?"

With a smile, Helena shook her head. "You need to learn to talk to women, Bayman. You'll never find a lover with that attitude."

The scowl that was now on the large man's face gave the impression that he was not one for jokes.

After giving the waiter their orders, the blonde began to speak. "I think I've found someone to add to our little circle."

"Your 'new dog'?" Bayman asked.

"Yes." Helena lowered her voice to a whisper. "Do you remember the attack at the DOATEC office building?"

The contract killer became instantly intrigued. "You mean…that man who attacked the police in that video?"

With a sly smile, she asked. "Care to dance?"

An uneasy feeling washed over Bayman. Just what was this woman up to? With reluctance, he got up and followed Helena to the dance floor. The bodyguards stood their ground, but kept the two in their sights. Now he understood. She did not want the guards to overhear their conversation, even if they were paid to keep quiet. Once she found a good enough distance, she turned to face her partner and placed her hand on his shoulder while he placed his on her waist. Interlocking their other hands, they began to dance to the slow tune of the live orchestra.

"Not bad." Helena remarked. "You've done this before?"

"A few times." The Russian quickly answered, obviously not wanting to have this type of conversation.

With a sigh, the DOATEC president decided to return to the topic at hand. "That man that we were talking about was also a candidate for the Dead or Alive tournament, but he was excluded for rather questionable reasons. I did a little digging and found some…interesting stories about him."

"What do you mean?" Bayman asked.

"Let's just say, he's been linked to some rather peculiar events. Specifically things that the general public might consider…make believe. I'll send you what I found later."

The burly man hated it when his clients were vague on details. Nonetheless, it appeared that whoever this man was, he had become Helena's center of attention.

"Anyway, it's obvious that he is not in league with DOATEC. But, according to his biography, he's a mercenary, so someone might have hired him to attack my father's company. So that would mean he could be brought to our side."

Bayman nodded. If money was what the man wanted, than getting his help was a simple matter of Helena writing a check.

"Still" The woman continued. "I want to see what exactly he is capable of. I need to…test him. I'll arrange something. I'll have to think about it."

"And why are you telling me all this?" Bayman saw no reason as to why any of this information related to him and his side of the partnership.

With a sympathetic smile, she answered. "Just thought you'd like to know. Besides, I'd hate for the two of you to met and kill each other because you didn't know you were on the same team."

The older man simply looked with irritation at the woman as they continued dancing.

_Hitomi's apartment_

_Germany_

_Friday-9:23p.m._

Friday nights were always the best for Hitomi. Go out partying with her friends, visit all the hottest clubs, go see the latest movies, she always had a blast. But tonight was different. Tonight she was in her room, sitting on her bed with her knees up to her chin, a forlorn look on her face. The events that played out at dinner cycled through her mind.

She knew that Ein and his clan were fighting against DOATEC, but what he dropped on her left her speechless. Join him in his war? Fight against DOATEC and…demons? Demons do not exist, do they? But, Ein said that they attacked his home and killed his friends and father, so they do exist. But if that was true, how come they have never tried to take over the world, that is what they do, right? Maybe they did but…

Hitomi became tense as her head filled with 'how comes' and 'what ifs'. It was all so confusing. She trusted Ein with her life, but what he was saying made absolutely no sense, even if he was a ninja.

"What am I supposed to do? I want to help him, but fight in a war?" She asked herself.

True, she did not fear conflict. In fact she enjoyed the competition in the tournaments, but to kill someone and to have someone try to kill you? That was something that terrified her.

Try as she might, she could not come up with a solution to her problem.

Hayate, who was in the living room, was also at an impasse. After his talk with Hitomi, she had barricaded herself in her room. He did not blame her.

"Why am I here? She doesn't need to be apart of this." He told himself.

He knew that asking her would only cause problems, yet he came anyway. He needed help and she was a very competent fighter. But she was no warrior. He knew that just as much as she did.

Perhaps seeking her help was just an excuse to see her again. To see the innocence in her that he had lost so long ago.

"Judging by the way she reacted, she'll probably refuse." He thought. "Good."

He laid himself on the couch with his hands behind his head. "I'll leave tomorrow. That would be best."

Slowly, he closed his eyes as the exhaustion from all the recent events in his life caught up to him. So great was his fatigue, that he had missed the darkness that lingered outside.

--

"This is where the good sir resides." A green-clad figure spoke.

A second figure approached Gentleman. Unlike the human-sized demon, this demonic creature stood over eight feet tall. A large spear was grasped in its right hand.

"I know you had set your sights on the hunter, but your master gave you orders."

The larger figure lugged the monstrous weapon over its head then brought it down upon the annoying green demon. The blade smashed into the pavement, breaking apart the concrete.

"Now, now, now. Violence is never the answer."

The behemoth turned around to find that its attack was in vain as Gentleman was now behind him, unharmed.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Gentleman scolded. "Such impatience! What would Lord Vergil say?"

The larger being remained silent, but the talkative demon knew that it was seething with anger. He could feel it radiating around the enslaved demon. Over two thousand years of anger and hate building up to this point, it was like a red mist of pure rage swirled around it. To a demon, nothing was more beautiful.

"The girl that is with the young lord has nothing to do with your master's plan, but I doubt that matters to you, doesn't it? You're just going to cut her into little, tiny pieces, aren't you?" Gentleman asked, gesturing just how small with his thumb and forefinger.

The towering demon remained silent.

"It appears speaking is not one of your strong points. How disappointing! At least Dante knew how to come up with some witty remarks."

Once again, Gentleman disappeared as the large devil's spear was swung at his form with intent to lop off his head. The giant looked about, but could not find the irritating, little bastard.

"I see that you two have the same temper though. How amusing!"

The large demon snapped its head up to see Gentleman calmly standing on the flat edge of its spear, his hands resting on top of his cane.

"Well, I'll be off. Give my most sincere regards to Lord Vergil for me, will you? I might not be part of his little circle, but I do wish him well on his endeavors."

Before the monstrous being could fling the gnat off his blade, he disappeared for the third and final time.

With a low growl, the beast hoisted the spear over its shoulders as it observed the apartment complex. Why that green-wearing bug decided to help its search was baffling, but no matter. It had found what it was looking for. Its master wanted to test the wind ninja more thoroughly, and test him it would.

The wind suddenly took off in a wild gush, creating a whirlwind around the demon. The ground rumbled. The pavement on the road it stood upon began to rupture with unnatural green light seeping out of the cracks. An arm burst from the ground, an arm that was bone only. Skeletons emerged from the Earth, wearing bits of old and rusted armor that was used long ago during the dark ages. The demonic creatures lumbered around their summoner. The wind concentrated on two spots beside the titanic demon as they formed into demons themselves.

Two large, white wolves took shape and stepped forward.

With an undead army backing it and the two fierce demon wolves, Freki and Geri, at its side, the time for the 'test' was now.

Bolverk, the demon knight, motioned for his troops to attack.

_Donovan's laboratory_

_United States_

_Friday-9:31 p.m._

With increasing diligence, the true controller of DOATEC worked at his lab station, intent on finishing the Beta project ahead of schedule. He needed to increase their power without causing an overload in their bio-systems. It was difficult work, but the pay-offs would be well worth it.

"Still tinkering with your toys, Donovan?"

The scientist glared at Vergil as he walked past. The half-breed always found some way to insult him when he entered his lab.

"These 'toys', as you so inadequately called them, are going to be my crowning achievement!" Donovan boasted. "They'll be even stronger than those…things that you recruited!"

"Who are you calling 'things', human?"

Donovan jumped as a second voice spoke behind him. Doku let out a laugh as he moved behind Vergil who stood in front of the two tubes that held the elder scientist's latest creations.

Vergil watched the two female bio-weapons float in the translucent fluid, curled up in fetal positions. It seemed unlikely that such tiny and fragile-looking things could be 'ultimate weapons of destruction' as the professor told him. But he knew from experience that looks were often deceiving.

Doku chuckled at the sight. "Your greatest achievements are little girls?! Really, I am sure you could do much better, human."

Donovan was almost over the boiling point. "I assure you, once completed, they will be more than a match for _any_ adversary."

"Really?" Doku stated with interest and skepticism. "I would like to see that."

Donovan continued his work as he spoke. "On another topic, I don't know if it was a good idea for you to reveal yourself to your brother. Now that he knows you are alive and what you are up too, he will try and stop you."

"I know." Vergil calmly replied. "But he is a crucial part of the plan. I need him to play along to the script we formulated; otherwise he could ruin the whole thing, like he always does."

"The master knows what he is doing." Doku stated.

The scientist groaned. Doku was becoming a major kiss ass.

"I have a new assignment for you, Donovan."

"What do you mean?" The human asked with suspicion and surprise.

"I need you to locate a temple for me." Vergil turned slightly so he could make eye contact with his ally. "The one where we will use the jewels."

Donovan blinked. "You mean…you know where the jewels are?"

"I have some leads. But it would be more efficient for one of us to look for the Temple of Redemption while the other looks for the jewels, instead of us blindly looking for both."

"But, you said the temple's location has been lost when your father closed the portal between the worlds. How am I supposed to find it?"

"Simple." Vergil said as he turned to leave. "You look."

"Oh, that helps."

"I shouldn't have to hold your hand, Donovan. But if you are truly _that_ pathetic, then I suggest you start by looking for places that are very old."

The half-demon and full demon took their leave.

As soon as the metal doors closed, Donovan unleashed his frustrations on a nearby chair, kicking it into a desk, sending all of the once neatly arranged papers flying in all directions. Within seconds, two Kasumi clones came to the desk and silently began to reorganize the papers.

Taking deep breaths, the scientist composed himself. His allies might be aggravating at times but they were still his allies.

"For now." He added in a hushed tone.


	12. a new ally, a new enemy

A/N: I had some writer's block on this one that involved several rewrites, but here it is. I want DMC 4 when it comes out, but a 600 dollar PS3? I think I can wait a bit. DOA:XBV2 came out by the way. Yeah, they made another one. Can't say I didn't see it coming though. FYI 'little Japanese' is a Chinese racist slang word for Japanese.

Disclaimer: DMC is to Capcom what DOA and NG is to Team Ninja and Tecmo. Their OWNED!! Sorry if that don't make sense.

Chapter 12. Ryu's back!

**Dead or Alive 4: The Devil Factor**

**Chapter 12: A New Ally, A New Enemy**

_Hitomi's apartment_

_Germany_

_Friday-9:43 p.m._

Total silence is difficult to accomplish. Even in the quietest of places, one could still hear the faintest of sounds such as crickets chirping, a house settling, or a furnace kicking on. All of these things were happening, yet Hayate was blissfully unaware as the comfortable embrace of sleep had already claimed him.

From the calmness of his face and the regularity of his breathing, it appeared as if the nightmares that plagued him had taken a break for the night to allow the peaceful dreams he once had to take center stage in his mind. All of the horrors in his life would be briefly forgotten for that one night.

Fate, however, had decided otherwise.

Hayate quickly awoke as he realized something. The sounds that once filled the house had gone silent.

The windows in the apartment erupted.

In one fluid motion, the wind ninja pushed himself off the sofa, flipped through the air, and landed in a fighting stance at the center of the living room before the shards of glass could touch him.

The causes of the window's destruction were now standing upon the crushed sofa where Hayate had been resting.

At first, he thought he was still waking up and his eyes were playing tricks on him, but he soon realized that what he saw was all too real.

Two skeletons slowly lumbered toward him. They appeared to be human skeletons, but the bones were larger than normal. Almost as if they were made bigger to compensate for the lack of muscle. Another oddity was that they wore very old armor. Rusted chest plates, arm guards, shoulder guards, and shin guards were strapped to their bodies. One was armed with a worn and rusty sword and shield while the other held two hand axes in a similar decayed state. Red fires resided in their empty eye sockets.

There was no doubt in his mind that these…things were demons, just like the Damned Shogunate.

Hayate's face hardened. Now he had a new set of foes to deal with, and he was sure that these two were just the first of many.

A terrified scream immediately took his attention, a scream that came from the German girl's bedroom.

"Hitomi." The man hissed.

The two demonic warriors took advantage of Hayate's sudden distraction and charged him.

Snapping his head back to his adversaries, he sidestepped a vertical attack from the demon with the sword and dodged a twin slash from the one with the axes. He snapped a kick that caught the first demon in the back, sending it crashing into the dining table. The demon with the axes whirled around to deliver another axe swipe, using its momentum to make the attack more powerful. It let out a surprised sound as its arm suddenly stopped, now caught in the hand of its human adversary. In one quick motion, the ninja slammed his fist into the demon's trapped arm, shattering it with ease.

The creature stumbled back, seemingly stunned by how easily it was disarmed in the literal sense. The demon let out an anger roar and looked back at the human who dared maim it.

All it saw was the bottom of a boot coming right at its face before everything turned black.

The Japanese man blinked in surprise as the decapitated demon suddenly dropped to its knees and began frantically searching for its missing skull, unaware that it was now in pieces around it.

A low growl caught Hayate's attention. He turned back to the first demon to see it back on its feet, lurching towards him with sword and shield at the ready. The demon swung its shield at the human, followed by a sword slash. Hayate leapt back to avoid the shield and spun around the sword, delivering an open-handed chop to the back of the demon's neck, breaking it. The demon's head bounced away from its stumbling body. With another kick, the demon fell back, landing on the second demon. Both exploded into dust and bone fragments.

"Now to rescue Hitomi from…"

Before he could finish his thought, the door to the girl's room was suddenly knocked down and a third demon flew out, skidded across wooden floor, and crashed into the coffee table. The hellspawn attempted to get back up, but was unable to due to a missing arm and leg.

"That's for scaring me you…you…PERVERT!!"

Hitomi stood in the doorway to her room, obviously upset as she was breathing heavily. Her face was red with anger and her hair a mess. All of this was lost on the wind ninja as he found himself captivated by her attire of a light blue nightie that, due to her perspiration, was becoming somewhat transparent.

He quickly discovered that she was not wearing a bra.

Confused by her adopted brother's blush, she followed his gaze to her chest.

She squeaked in surprise, covered herself with her arms, and dashed back into her room.

"EIN! How could you? You're just as perverted as those things!" She screamed from her room.

Embarrassed, Hayate began to fumble with an apology when the front door burst open. Three more demon skeletons marched into the room.

"Hitomi, stay in your room!" The ninja yelled, dropping into a fighting stance.

"Like hell I will!" The teen replied as she ran into the living room and skidded to a stop next to him. Her nightie was replaced with a long, white and blue T-shirt that barely covered her panties.

"These monsters broke into my apartment and peeked at me while I was sleeping! I'm not going to let them get away with that!" She added and assumed a Karate stance.

He could tell that arguing was futile.

_The Red Dragon_

_China_

_Friday-9:52 p.m._

In the thriving city of Hong Kong, there are many fine drinking establishments that only hosted those with high standings in life and loads of cash to throw around. Places where the drinks are high priced and the environment is warm and friendly. These taverns win over many a business men and women with their excellent service and a fine social climate.

The _Red Dragon_ was definitely not one of those bars.

Located in the very heart of the wrong side of town, the place was usually crowded with mobsters, crooks, roughnecks, and every other type of outlaw and/or hard-ass imaginable. The building was filled with smoke from the countless cigarettes and cigars and the only thing that could top the smell of tobacco was the stink of large, sweaty men who would rather use their fists to talk then their mouth.

It was hard to believe that Jann Lee would pass up other, better paying bouncing jobs in order to work in this hell hole. But the money never really interested him. It was the possibility to put his fighting skills to the test.

Or at least he hoped so.

With a bored sigh, the Chinese fighter crossed his arms and leaned against the wall as he continued monitoring the room to see if anybody decided to pick a fight.

The _Red Dragon_ was renowned for being one of the seediest and violent bars in the Hong Kong district. He took the job as bouncer because of this reputation and the other of the owner never being able to find a bouncer to handle the rowdy drunkards that favored the bar. It seemed like the perfect place to hone his skills. But within a few weeks of beating every troublemaker to a pulp, he had essentially tamed the place.

Now no one dared start anything for fear of the Jeet Kune Do master.

"How am I supposed to keep myself in top condition if all I have to fight are weaklings and cowards?" He thought.

He began to wonder if he should quit and find another, more interesting job, perhaps as a bodyguard.

"Nah. Those get dull pretty quick."

It was then that someone new entered the bar.

At first, no one noticed, except for Jann Lee. But soon, every low-life and thug had their eyes glued at the man who dared enter their domain.

The tension in the air became thick. Any sudden movement could instantly lead to violence.

Unlike the others, Jann Lee knew who the man was the instant he walked in.

He was casually dressed in an un-tucked white dress shirt with a dark brown coat and pants. His equally dark brown hair was tied into a long ponytail. His posture was relaxed, but Jann Lee speculated it could easily turn into a fighting stance.

The man strolled through the bar, unaware or more likely uncaring of the numerous eyes following him.

An uncomfortable silence loomed over the crowd as the man came to a stop in front of the barkeep.

"What'll it be?" The shriveled old man asked. He too seemed unaware or unconcerned about the mood of his customers over the new man.

"Ice water, please." The man answered in a formal tone.

Jann Lee flinched slightly. The man had an obvious Japanese accent to his Chinese. And Japan was not exactly the most popular place for most, if not all, of the patrons.

His suspicions were founded as four men got up from their seats and made their way to the brunette man. They quickly formed a semi-circle around him, trapping him between them and the bar.

The bartender, still unaware of what was going on, placed a glass of ice water in front of the man, and then returned to his cleaning.

"Well, well, well, look what blew in." One of the goons crowed. He was dressed in an outdated white suit and multi-colored shirt. His face held a sort of weasel quality to it. It was as if he was literally born to be a gangster.

"Hey, we don't like your kind 'round here." A second one threatened. This one was bald and muscular. His manner of style was a white tank top and jeans.

"Yeah! So why don't ya take a hike, little Japanese, before sumthin bad happens to ya!" A third hissed. The thug's hair was greased back and a pair of circular sunglasses adored his face.

The man did not respond, instead he took a long drink from his glass.

"Hey! We're talkin' to ya, asshole!" The fourth bellowed with a red face. A large scar went over his right eye.

Once again, no reply.

"You arrogant prick!" The scarred man roared, drawing back his fist.

Jann Lee cursed himself. He was watching the scene instead of trying to stop it, like he was paid to do. He pushed himself off the wall and ran to the fight, hoping he could end it before it really began.

He stopped in his tracks when the scarred man suddenly flew through the air and crashed into a table. The men that were sitting at the table quickly took off.

Everyone at the bar was stuck silent with amazement. Not only had the foreigner knocked the man out, but he did it with one punch.

The second and third men looked at each other, than rushed the Japanese man together.

Neither one had a chance to launch an attack.

The bald man received an elbow to the side of his head while the other thug was given a kick to the face, shattering his glasses. The man then grabbed the bald man by his shoulders, leaped over him, and using the momentum, threw the muscular goon into a wall.

The weasel man, after witnessing his friends being taken out so quickly, began to tremble.

"Who…who the fuck are you?!" He quivered.

The man stood to his full height and slowly turned to the frightened mobster.

"Ryu Hayabusa." He calmly replied.

The man reached into his coat and produced an eight inch knife. "Well, Ryu, looks like I'll hafta cut ya down to size for fuckin' with us!"

Despite his badly punned threat, his voice still held terror in its tone.

The man yelped as someone grabbed his arm that held the knife.

"Brining a weapon in here is prohibited." Jann Lee coldly informed. "I thought everyone knew that."

"J…Jann Lee!" The thug squeaked. "Throw this piece of shit out, he attacked my friends!" He pointed wildly at Ryu.

"After you and your 'friends' tried to gang up on him."

The man sputtered. "He's fucking Japanese, he should know better than ta show his face here!"

"I don't care if he brought his entire family here, you picked the fight." He tightened his hold on the man's arm causing him to cry out and drop the knife. "Now, you have exactly three seconds to leave with your arm still in its socket."

He pushed the man away and watched as he dashed out of the bar like his life depended on it.

The bouncer looked about the room, seeing the eyes of everyone in the bar now trained on him.

"Anyone else have a problem with this man?" He called out.

Slowly, the customers returned to the conversations and drinks, but still cast wary glances to the Japanese man. The three unconscious goons were dragged away by other men, most likely to be robbed blind and thrown into the alley. But as long as it happened outside the bar, there was nothing he could do about.

Besides, he did not particularly care.

"Thank you for your help." Ryu spoke

Jan Lee let out an amused huff. "I was just saving that guy from a royal beating and an empty wallet. Besides if I didn't step in, there could have been a major riot in here, which could be docked from my pay."

Not even a hint of a smile appeared on the super ninja's face.

Jann Lee let out a sigh. The man had no sense of humor.

"You better watch your step around here. These guys don't like foreigners, especially Japanese." The Chinese man warned.

Ryu nodded in understanding.

"So, why are you here? If you're sightseeing, there are way better places than this pit."

"I need to speak with you…in private."

_Hitomi's apartment_

_Germany_

_Friday-10:12 p.m._

With their backs to each other, Hitomi and Hayate watched as four demon skeletons circled them. The fight with these creatures had lasted well over half an hour, yet there appeared to be no end of the abominations.

Hitomi's apartment, or rather what was left of it, was in shambles. Her furniture was in pieces, her television destroyed, the carpet shredded, and the walls were almost gone. It would take a lot more than a broom and some cleaning supplies to fix her home. But that was the last thing on her mind.

These demons were weak individually, but in groups, they were quite formidable. Their bones were stronger than normal and their persistence was astonishing. No matter how badly they got beat, the others would mindlessly charge in, uncaring about what happens to them. She had never faced such foes before. To top it off, she never had to face so many opponents at once for so long. Fatigue was slowly creeping into her body.

The wind ninja on the other hand, did not have the same problem. He was used to fighting against multiple opponents at once. What did concern him was that he noticed the German girl's ragged breathing and perspiration that seemed to coat her. It was too obvious that she was having trouble keeping up. This battle had to end now.

The four demons suddenly rushed the two humans in a pincer move, hoping to crush them with one attack.

Hitomi delivered a right hook to the one on her left, tearing out the demon's lower jaw. She followed with a left straight that took the rest of its head. Her second opponent slashed at her with hand axes. She danced around the first one, but the other came at an odd angle and barely grazed her left forearm. Ignoring the pain, she lashed out with a knee to the demon's midsection. In rapid succession, Hitomi delivered a kick, than raised her leg and brought it down in an axe-kick. The demon's head exploded into a cloud of dust and bone fragments.

She heard more sounds of bones shattering behind her. She turned to see the other two demons lying in pieces before Hayate.

"I don't sense anymore." he said as he turned to her.

The teen let out a gasp as Hayate reached out and took her injured arm.

"It doesn't look too bad." He informed, closely inspecting the cut. "But their weapons were rusty, you may need a tetanus shot."

A cold shiver surged through her body. She hated needles. "I hope your joking."

"I don't joke." He replied in a very serious tone as he ripped a piece of his shirt off and used it to bandage her arm.

"I know." Hitomi said. "You need to lighten up a little if you want get a girl."

Hayate squirmed slightly as she giggled.

"Thanks." She whispered while touching her new bandage.

"We should get you to a doctor and…"

Hayate's words died as he felt an ominous presence. Something dark was nearby.

As if on cue, the entire wall that separated the inside from the outdoors was ripped apart. Two giant figures emerged from the night.

At first, neither Hayate nor Hitomi could clearly see the figures as dust from the destroyed wall had created a cloud that hovered around the newcomers. When it did settle, both fighters beheld their enemies. Loud clanks echoed in the almost hollowed out room as two demon skeletons approached. These demons were much larger than the others. They wore full suits of black, rusted armor. Heavier weapons were in their grasp as well. One held a massive two-handed sword, a Zweilhänder. The other wielded a double-headed axe. Both weapons appeared worn and chipped, but neither human doubted that they were any less dangerous.

While their faces were obscured by their helmets, their glowing red eyes were clearly trained on the man and woman.

Hitomi had a feeling that it would take more than a few punches and kicks to fell these monsters.

Hayate was getting tired of demons seemingly appearing out of nowhere.

-So you are the Mugen Tenshin Clan Leader?-

The ninja frowned. He thought he heard someone speaking, but it sounded…unnatural, like it came from inside his head than from a voice. Was it his imagination?

"Did you hear something?" Hitomi asked, her eyes scanning the room.

That further perplexed Hayate. If she heard the voice too, then where did it come from?

He was answered as a third figure emerged from the darkness and took its place between the two demons.

The two youths were unsure what they were looking at, except that it had to be demon. The thing resembled the skeletons, only larger and mutated. Its rib cage composed almost its entire torso and its legs stopped at its knees. It looked like it was just hanging in midair with pillars of smoke jutting from the ground where the demon's feet should have been located. Its head resembled a helmet more than an actual skull. To top it off, a dull, pearlescent light shined inside its body and eye sockets. A highly decorated spear was clasped firmly in its right hand.

Two gigantic, white wolves flanked the being.

"Wh…what is THAT?!" Hitomi asked in a shaky voice. The thing looked like something only found in nightmares.

-I am Bolverk.-

Again the voice rang inside Hayate's head. The ninja theorized that the demon must be a telepath. This proved grave as he began to wonder if the demon possessed any other mental abilities. Fighting a mind reader was not something he wanted to try.

-Hmph. I do not understand what Vergil sees in you. After all, you are nothing more than mere humans.-

Vergil? Why did that name sound familiar? Hayate quickly pushed the thought aside.

"Who's Vergil?" The German asked in a forceful tone.

A low growl emerged from the demon's form. It was obvious that the demon was not exactly warm and fuzzy about the man in question.

"What is it you want?" Hayate demanded. "And where is Doku?"

-Doku? No doubt following his master around like a dog.- Bolverk commented darkly. –As for me, I am here to test you. Prepare yourselves, humans-

With a wave of his hand, the two armored skeletons moved forward, hefting their weapons.

Hitomi tightened her stance. If these monsters wanted a fight, she was going to give them one they would never forget.

_Jann Lee's studio apartment_

_China_

_Friday-10:28 p.m._

Ryu looked around Jann Lee's living quarters. A large single room filled with weights, punching bags, and other physical training devices. Sure, there was some furniture, a television, a bed, and a full kitchen, but the majority of the floor was reserved for the bouncer's miscellaneous exercise equipment. It was quite apparent that the man valued his body.

"You know, the last person I'd expect to see outside the tournament is you." The Chinese fighter said as he rummaged through his refrigerator. "Usually I'd run into Zack or Tina or that crazy chick that keeps following me."

Ryu sat down in one of the recliners. "You mean Lei-Fang?"

"Yeah, her." Jann Lee replied. "What's her deal?"

The brunette man shook his head. The relationship between Jann Lee and Lei-Fang was a puzzlement. It was almost too obvious that the girl liked him, but her determination to defeat him masked her feelings quite well to Jann Lee, since all he could see in her was another opponent.

"Like I can talk about strange relationships." Ryu said to himself, briefly remembering Kasumi.

Jann Lee plopped down on the sofa across from the super ninja. In his hands were two glasses and a carton of orange juice.

"Want some?" He asked while pouring himself a drink. "I'd offer ya something better, but I haven't been grocery shopping in a while."

Ryu waved a hand in a 'no thanks' gesture.

Jann Lee shrugged, filled the glass, and then downed it in one shot.

"So." The spiked haired man began. "What is it that you wanted to talk to me about? I doubt you want a rematch."

Ryu recalled the fight the two had in the Mugen Tenshin Ninja Clan Fortress during the last tournament. The super ninja barely won the battle, but how Jann Lee found the fortress still escaped him.

"I'm here to ask you for help." Ryu calmly explained.

Jann Lee cracked an eyebrow. "Oh really? And what, exactly do you need _my_ help for?"

Ryu drew a deep breath, preparing himself for the lengthy explanation that would follow the next word that he would say.

"War."

_Hitomi's apartment_

_Germany_

_Friday-10:33 p.m._

Blood dripped from Hitomi's battered knuckles. The armor the demonic skeletons possessed was stronger than it appeared. She left dents, but was unable to actually cause damage to them. Nonetheless, she would defeat the beasts, one way or another.

The demon with the axe lunged at the dainty girl, bring its blade up to the ceiling. Turning on her heel, she narrowly dodged the attack and countered with a well placed kick to her assailant's abdomen. The armor rang and the demon slightly stumbled, but was otherwise unharmed. With a roar, the demon swung at the girl a second time, but managed to only slice into the wall.

Unlike the last demon she fought, getting hit would not result in a simple scratch.

Hayate gave his opponent a roundhouse kick followed by a side kick. The demon fell into the wall, but pushed itself off and brought its sword down upon the ninja, cleaving through the ceiling. The ninja clan leader leapt back to avoid the blow. He quickly closed the gap between him and the demon before it could retract its weapon lodged into the floor. After a one-two punch, he launched a devastating right straight that sent the demon through the wall, into the bathroom.

He looked into the newly formed hole to see the demon already getting back on its feet.

The wind ninja clenched his teeth. Fighting these things with fists was a slow road to defeat. All they were doing so far was keeping them off balanced.

Hayate stole a quick glance at the demon that called itself Bolverk and the wolves that stood besides it.

So far he just stood there, watching. If he was telling the truth and here to 'test' him, then he was giving the demon exactly what he wanted. He was showing Bolverk his techniques and moves. If they fought now, the demon would have the advantage of knowing his opponent.

He had to end the fight quick to prevent the skeletal monster from learning too much.

The demon with the sword emerged from the bathroom, ready to continue the fight.

Without a weapon, Hayate lacked the means to actually injure the beast. A problem he experienced when he tried to defend his home.

At that moment, an idea popped into his head. He did not have a weapon, but his opponent did.

Kicking off the floor, the wind ninja flipped into the air toward the German girl and the second demon. The first demon gave chase, with its blade firmly in hand. The second demon was already preoccupied with the nimble high school student and was unaware of the presence of the male, or of its comrade charging at said human. The demon with the sword held its weapon out, preparing to skewer the lowly mortal through his heart.

Hayate waited until the demon was within range. In a flash, he side-stepped the demon, grabbed its arms, and jerked the demon's aim somewhere else. Unable to stop, the demon's sword pierced the axe-wielding demon's chest.

The demon wailed in pain and began to thrash about, dropping the gigantic axe.

Hayate lunged for the axe and hoisted it before the other demon could wretch its sword free.

With all his strength, Hayate brought the axe over the first demon's skull. The gargantuan weapon cut into the demon's helmet and chest, almost cleaving it in two.

Letting the weapon go, the demons fell and this time, did not get back up.

The long-haired girl panted for breath as she stared in awe. After witnessing the young man dispatch the demons without so much as batting an eyelash, a cold feeling formed in the pit of her stomach.

"So…this is how Ein really fights." She thought.

-Interesting. You used your foes own weapons against them.-

The wind ninja was beginning to loathe the empty voice in his head.

-However, we demons are not monsters that are all teeth, claws, and bloodlust.- Bolverk warned. –Quite a few of us are more than capable of thinking. The Carnagers you faced are only capable of basic thought. So do not think you can always use such obvious tactics on all of us. Especially me.-

With that, Bolverk stepped forward.

Hayate cursed. He could still fight, but the battles against the Bolverk's minions had drained him and by the look of his adopted sister, she was in no better condition.

With a flick of its wrist, Bolverk cut through the air. Instinctively, Hayate leapt onto Hitomi, sending them both onto the ground. As he fell, the Japanese man felt something brush the back of his head.

From the ground, Hayate looked back. His eyes widened in bewilderment.

A long scar ran across the entire apartment, from wall to wall. The demon's blade somehow cut through the room from where he stood.

Pushing himself off the floor, Hayate helped Hitomi up.

"STOP DESTROYING MY APARTMENT!" The blue-eyed girl screamed at Bolverk.

Had not the current situation been as dire as it was, Hayate might have found her outburst humorous.

Bolverk darted into the room, stabbing his spear at the two humans. The duo rolled out of the way before the weapon pierced the air where they once resided. A hollow crunch sounded from the opposite end of the room.

Hitomi followed the noise to see a newly formed hole in her refrigerator. Coincidently, Bolverk's spear was aimed directly at the appliance.

"How…how does that thing _do_ that?!" Hitomi asked.

Hayate had a theory. He had heard of a special technique developed by renowned martial artists that could project a warrior's ki or spiritual energy through their weapon, increasing its range of attack. In essence, it allowed the warrior to cut a target without actually having the weapon touch it. A very deadly attack, as its range could be altered at will, making it almost impossible to determine how far its reach was.

Bolverk appeared to have mastered the demon version of the technique.

Hayate caught Hitomi's eye and motioned for a rush attack.

The duo took off, heading right for the gigantic being.

Bolverk cut through the air again. The female rolled and the male leapt over the attack that created a second scar across the apartment.

In an instant, Bolverk found his personal space occupied by the two humans he sought to fight.

Together, Hayate and Hitomi attacked as one. Their moves, their footing, and their breathing were in perfect synchronization. A frenzy of karate-style punches and kicks was let lose upon the demon. The force of the impacts caused Bolverk to slowly move back.

Hayate noticed that Bolverk was not defending himself. In fact, it almost looked like he was not even trying.

For the finishing touch, the two delivered a combined jump kick, causing the demon to be thrown back. However, it did not fall or even wobble. It simply slid across the floor like a skater on ice.

Hitomi hissed and shook her hands. She felt like she had been beating on a concrete wall. Hayate felt the same way, yet made no sign of the pain.

A distorted sound rang inside Hayate's and Hitomi's mind, causing them to flinch. It sounded somewhat like…laughter, yet to the two it was like finger nails on a chalkboard.

-Is that your best?! I know of insects that pack more of a bite than you!-

The brown-eyed man cursed under his breath. He had a feeling that damaging the monster would take a lot more than punches and kicks. Yet, there was nothing else he could have used. The weapons the lesser demons wielded had disappeared along with their bodies. His sword and other ninja gear were in his baggage in another room. He never had a chance to retrieve them and he did not even consider having Hitomi hold them off so he could get them.

He would die before leaving her alone with these nightmarish freaks.

-I believe this concludes the test.- Bolverk informed as he turned to leave.

Hitomi lowered he fists. Her guard was down.

Before Hayate could warn her, the skeletal demon whirled around, delivering another slash.

Hayate dove for the girl, but was too late.

The shirt she wore was cut open. Her senses were blinded from the sudden speed and outcome of the demon's attack that she did not cover herself. All she could do was stare blankly into the empty sockets of the monster that destroyed her home.

Hayate was upon her in a flash. He pushed her behind him, putting himself between the monster and the teenager.

-Pitiful.- Bolverk commented before he turned to leave for a second time.

Hayate watched carefully as the towering demon and the two wolves disappeared into the darkness.

After waiting a few moments to see if this was another ploy, the Japanese youth brought his full attention to the half-naked Hitomi.

He found her slumped to her knees and holding herself up with her hands. Her long, chocolate hair covered her face.

"I…I just stood there. I didn't do anything. I just stood there. I didn't do anything." She repeated in a hushed tone.

The wind ninja breathed a sigh of relief. She was fine, just shaken up a bit.

Hayate retrieved a blanket that somehow survived the demon assault and covered the trembling girl. Slowly, she pulled the corners around herself.

"Are you okay?" He whispered.

"That thing could have killed me!" She wailed, snapping her head to look her adopted brother in the eyes. "And it could have killed you when you tried to save me!"

Hayate found himself unable to reply to her sudden outburst.

"I held you back." She continued, returning her eyes to the floor. "You could have defeated them easily if I didn't weigh you down."

"Don't say that." Hayate said firmly. "Without you, I would have been swarmed."

"Don't lie to me." She replied in a soft, yet forceful tone. "I heard about you at the Tritower. I heard that you took on all those soldiers by yourself. You could have beaten those…those…_monsters_ without me. I…I'm just useless."

He took her chin in his hand and brought her face to meet his.

"Look me in the eyes and tell me that again." He spoke.

Hitomi's eyes began to water as she tried to repeat what she said, but nothing came out. She flung herself in Hayate's arms. Feeling a bit awkward at first, the wind ninja held her.

"I failed you, Ein." Hitomi thought as he tightly held on to the man's shirt. "But I will not fail you again. I will not be reduced to a scared, little girl!"

"I will fight at your side." She almost whispered.

--

On top of a nearby building that overlooked Hitomi's wrecked apartment, Bolverk stood with its wolves beside it, watching the spectacle that was taking place inside.

-Humans are such sad, sentimental creatures.- He gloated.

"Like you can talk."

Bolverk heard the silky smooth female voice originate behind him, but remained motionless. He knew who it was.

"The sad part I get, but sentimental? Oh please. Just what do you call what you did here." The female motioned to the wolves.

Bolverk slowly turned to face the demoness. –The warriors that fought with me died honorably. It was only fitting that I, in turn, honor them by infusing their souls into these wolves so they can continue to do battle.-

The demon woman chuckled. "Honor? To us demons, honor is a word, nothing more."

-I seem to contradict that theory.- Bolverk snapped.

With another laugh, the female gazed down to the apartment of the German teen. With her demonic powers, she could see inside the building and focus on the two humans inside.

She watched as the one called Hayate helped the female up and took her to her room, most likely so she could retrieve some clothes. She could feel, the helplessness inside the girl fade, being replaced by determination. And she could sense the protective nature within the male.

Such emotions gave the woman a nostalgic feeling. She remembered when she was the girl and the male was…

-Why are you here? The master wanted you somewhere else.-

Snapped out of her thoughts by the warrior demon, the demoness replied. "Just making sure that you didn't go overboard and slaughter those two mortals."

-I do not need someone to hover over me. I know how to do my job, unlike the rest of that motley crew that follows Vergil around.-

A sly smile formed on the woman's face. "Whatever you say." She turned to leave.

-I know that you are secretly after the sons of Sparda.-

She paused and turned her head slightly to see her 'ally'.

-Whatever it is you have against them is irrelevant. Vengeance on the blasphemous half-breeds will be exacted by me.- Bolverk stated, aiming his spear at the woman to emphasize his point.

"We shall see." She ominously whispered.

A veil of black mist swarmed over her. Both woman and mist vanished.

_Jann Lee's studio apartment_

_China_

_Friday-11:22 p.m._

"Let me see if I have this straight."

Jann Lee leaned forward in his sofa.

"You want me, to join you and your friend in a war against DOATEC. And to top it all off, you also claim that this company is in league with…" Jann Lee made a dramatic pause before finishing his sentence. "demons?"

Ryu nodded. "That is the basic evaluation, yes."

The Chinese man looked over his guest from head to toe. "May I ask you something?"

"If you wish."

Jann Lee looked into Ryu's eyes. "Is this a joke or did you hit a few bars on the way over to mine?"

Ryu felt his hopes coming crashing down. He had a feeling that Jann Lee would not buy his story. In fact he almost doubted his own sanity when he heard himself speak of what happened the last few days.

"I assure you, this is far from a joke." Ryu spoke. "And I do not drink alcohol."

Letting out an indifferent humph, Jann Lee sank back into his sofa.

"I have told you all I know of the matter. Whether you decide to join our cause or not is up to you."

Jann Lee stared off into space, apparently mulling over scenario in his head.

On the one hand, the very idea of going up against DOATEC was suicidal. They had the most cutting-edge weaponry in the world and an army to use it. Not to mention that the very idea of demons actually being real was ludicrous. On the other hand, the one who told him this tale was Ryu Hayabusa. The man was serious to a fault. He doubted that Ryu would lie about anything.

But most importantly of all, since the end of the fourth tournament, Jann Lee was bored out of his skull.

Maybe, just maybe, this was the chance he needed to prove his might.

"I'm gonna be honest here." Jann Lee finally spoke. "I think your idea of fighting against DOATEC is crazy, as is your little story about demons."

Ryu readied himself for the rejection that was sure to follow.

"But," He continued. "Since I really got nothing better to do…I'll tag along."

While Ryu displayed no change in his neutral face, internally, he felt both relieved and concerned at the same time. Despite Jann Lee's skepticism, he had agreed to fight with him. Unfortunately, this also meant that he would now be part of a bitter struggle that they may or may not win.

Nonetheless, Jann Lee was now an ally.

"I have two conditions though." The bouncer informed, holding up two fingers.

"One." He said with a wide grin. "You have to train with me. I'm getting sick of having only drunks and thugs who think their immortal to spar with. And I won't take no for an answer."

"I have no objections."

"And two." His face fell into seriousness. "You will not ask Lei-Fang to join us."

Ryu corrected himself about earlier. It appeared that Jann Lee did not just see Lei-Fang as just another fighter. And as such, he could empathize with what he wanted.

An image of the innocent face of Kasumi flashed in his mind.

"Agreed."

"Good." The smile returned. "So when do we leave and where are we going?"

"I will attempt to book passage tomorrow." He informed. "We will meet Hayate in Germany to discuss future plans."

Ryu left out that he originally had tickets to Beijing for tomorrow. But since Lei-Fang was now no longer an option, he decided to change his plans a bit. Getting tickets to Germany should not be too much trouble.

"All right then." Jann Lee stated as he got up. "I'm gonna turn in, you can crash on the couch for the night if you want."

"I have a room at a hotel." Ryu informed as he also stood.

"Well you better get your stuff and bring it here, cause we're gonna train at six sharp tomorrow." Jann Lee said with enthusiasm. "I don't want to have to wait for you to get up and get here."

Ryu was silent for a moment. "Very well."

Jann Lee walked off to his bed. Finally, he would not have to wait for a fifth tournament to test his skills. With Ryu, he could keep his body in top shape and learn the fighting style of his rival.

Enthralled with the prospect of having a worthy sparing partner, Jann Lee never gave the war against DOATEC a second thought.

_The Devil's Library_

_Herein lies the bestiary of the demons in this tale so far_

Ravager-The reanimated remains of Vikings and medieval infantry soldiers. Armed with simple, light weapons and wearing only minimum armor, Ravagers work best in groups. They are renowned for their relentless savagery as either they kill their prey or die trying.

Carnager-The reanimated remains of medieval knights. Covered head to toe in armor and wielding only the fiercest of weaponry, Carnagers strike fear into the very hearts of their enemies. Used almost exclusively as shock troops, their large size and physical might makes them a force to reckon with.

Freki & Geri-Twin, white demon wolves that posses the souls of two fallen demon warriors that once fought along side Bolverk. Larger than normal wolves and incredibly vicious, the wolves work together to strike at their opponents with their incredible speed.

Bolverk-A legendary demon warrior that once rivaled Sparda. After his defeat by the Legendary Dark Knight, he was again beaten by Sparda's son, Dante. Swearing revenge on the Sparda family, he commands the Army of the Fallen under Vergil's banner, while at the same time plotting his master's demise.


	13. trials of the heart

A/N: A thousand apologies. With finals, the holidays, and being in a house without internet have caused this story to be postponed for far too long. But here it is. Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: DMC owned by Capcom. DOA and NG owned by Team Ninja and Tecmo.

Chapter 13: Lucky thirteen!

**Dead or Alive 4: The Devil Factor**

**Chapter 13: Trials of the Heart**

_Devil May Cry building_

_United States_

_Saturday-4:29 a.m._

At first, she saw nothing. But slowly, her sense began to focus.

Her fingers touched fabric, the covers of a futon. Her eyesight became clearer, allowing her to take in her surroundings. She was in a room. No. It was a building that was the size of a small room.

"This…is…my hut." Ayane said to herself. "This is my home…in Japan."

The violet-haired teen could never forget her only sanctuary, the place where her adopted father, Genra raised and trained her. She had stayed in places much larger and luxurious than the humble shack, but none could match the value it held for her.

It was home, after all.

Moonlight filtered through the small gaps in the hut. It was difficult to see, as Ayane's eyes had yet to fully adjust to the darkness, but she could see a figure in the hut with her. She shot up into a sitting position.

"Who are you?" She hissed, secretly reaching for the kunai that was hidden under her pillow.

The figure remained mute and the weapon was absent.

She squinted to get a better look. The figure looked…familiar. Its form appeared to be masculine, if only barely. He was also short, but young.

"Ayane." The figure softly called out.

Ayane's eyes widened as she recognized the voice. "Yuri?"

"Ayane." He said again.

Ayane could not believe what she was seeing or hearing. How…how could Yuri be alive? It was impossible! She saw him die!

Yuri came forward and knelt down in front of her. His face was obscured by both his hair and the darkness.

"Yuri? Is that really you?" Ayane's voice was shaking.

The supposedly dead youth reached out and touched her face. Ayane tried to jerk away, but her body refused to obey. Yuri began to gently caress her cheek. Electricity surged through her body.

"Y…Yuri!?" she gasped. "Wh…what…are you doing?"

"Ayane." He drew her into his embrace, holding on to her firmly. "I love you."

The purple-haired shinobi shivered at his words. Such a phrase was used very little in her life. To hear it with such passion…such certainty, her blood seemed to catch fire.

But…it was Yuri who said these words. She might have…liked the boy, but love was taking it too far.

"I have to tell him the truth." She thought. "It might hurt him, but it would be worse to make him believe he has a chance with me."

She opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came. Her confusion was quickly being replaced by fear as she struggled to form words, but the ability continued to elude her.

"Wh…what's going on? Why can't I speak?" Her eyes widened. "Wait, Yuri's dead. How could I have forgotten that already?"

Ayane's head felt like it was filled with molasses. Her thoughts were becoming jumbled and her memories were nothing more than a haze. All she was capable of now was feeling. And at that moment, she felt a pair of lips pressing against hers.

Even the thought about protesting never entered her head. Instead, she simply experienced the kiss. It felt rather…nice.

Yuri gently laid Ayane on her back. She shivered as he broke the kiss and ran his tongue along her neck.

"What…is…going…on?" It took absolute concentration in order for her to formulate a single thought.

The violet-haired teenager felt her robe being opened. A wavering moan escaped her throat as Yuri's attention deviated from her neck to her chest. Ayane's skin tingled, her face felt like it was about to burst into flames, her whole world was spinning.

"I…never knew…that this would…feel…so…_good_."

Her arms finally moved, but to their own accord as they grasped Yuri's head, cradling him closer to her chest.

She did not know how long had passed, but the boy returned his mouth to hers, this time, slipping his tongue in. Ayane responded by closing her eyes, her arms dropped limply at her sides.

Absolute pleasure filled her senses, she was barely aware that Yuri had broken the kiss and was hovering over her.

She tasted…copper.

Her eyes cracked open slightly…then quickly opened fully. She wanted to scream, but only silence came from her.

She could clearly see Yuri now that the streams of moonlight caught his face. The color was gone from him, blood trickled out of the corners of his mouth, and his lifeless eyes gave off an inhuman glow.

She could feel the need to scream build, but no release came. Her body trembled instead, her eyes never blinked.

"Ayane…" Yuri's voice was distorted, inhuman. "I…love…"

Whatever force that held her broke free as the hut was suddenly filled with Ayane's terrified shriek.

She bolted up, cold sweat pouring from her face. Her eyes danced around to find Yuri, but found no trace of him. She was no longer in the hut, but back in her room at the _Devil May Cry_.

"Was it…a dream?" She thought.

She raised a hand to her face as the tears flowed from her eyes. This nightmare was only the latest in a string of horrible visions that had plagued her even since her arrival in America, each one becoming more real and terrifying.

"What the hell is _wrong_ with me?!" She sobbed.

What disturbed her further was that the first few dreams involved her brother, but the latest ones had the deceased youth as the object of her suffering.

"Damn it, Yuri." She whispered. "Why couldn't I protect you?"

--

"I had better give her some rest." A gruff voice announced. "If I push her too far I might break my new toy."

The lone demon stood atop the building across from Dante's shop and residence. He flexed his right hand a few more times before crossing his arms over his mighty chest.

"Incredible." He continued. "In the beginning, all I could do was put some thoughts in her head, now I can manipulate her dreams. This little technique I acquired has proven most interesting… and entertaining."

The demon heaved a sigh. "A pity I cannot reveal myself just yet, but when I do…"

He trailed off, unable to put his excitement into words. He walked off and disappeared, leaving a faint darkness behind him that would vanish before it could be detected by the kunoichis and devil hunters.

_Hitomi's Family Dojo and Residence_

_Germany_

_Saturday-7:42 a.m._

"I said no."

"But Papa…"

Hitomi's father took a sip of his coffee. "I said no, Hitomi. I will not let you go on some…adventure, especially with what has happened." He placed the cup on the table and glared at his daughter. "Your entire apartment destroyed, almost beyond repair. It'll take _months_ to fix it and I don't want to even go into the costs."

Hitomi opened her mouth, but quickly snapped it shut when she realized that she could not give a decent reply. Instead, she cast her bashful gaze onto the breakfast before her.

"In all fairness, Kurt-sensei, the apartment's destruction was not Hitomi's fault." Hayate offered.

The salt and pepper color-haired man simply gave the wind ninja an incredulous glance. "By _demons_?"

"I know it sounds far fetched, sensei, but it's the truth." Hayate pressed.

"Yeah." The German girl chimed in. "I didn't believe it at first papa, but I saw them with my own eyes. Besides," She narrowed her eyes. "Do you think I trashed my apartment myself?"

Kurt shook his head. "No, Hitomi. But perhaps you were seeing things."

"Seeing things?!" Hitomi interrupted, slamming her fists on the table. "What are you trying to say, papa!? Do you thinking I was drinking or doing drugs? That I got wasted and I destroyed my apartment and blamed it on demons?!"

The German karate master was speechless over his daughter's outburst.

Embarrassment and shame quickly washed over the girl as she quietly took her seat. "I'm sorry papa. I didn't mean to yell."

Hitomi's father sighed, reached out and placed his hand on his daughter's head. "I'm sorry too. I get so worried about you being on your own that sometimes my mind comes up with these outrageous 'what-if' stories. I forget that you are a strong woman now."

Hitomi was practically glowing. "Thank you, papa."

Hayate watched the entire scene with the faintest of smiles on his face. "This is what a family should be like." He told himself.

"Would you like some more coffee, Ein?"

Hayate's gaze was redirected from the father and daughter to the mother standing next to him. "No thank you, Mrs. Natsuko."

"Now, now." She cooed. "We told you repeatedly that you're family, so please just call me Natsuko." She flashed a warm smile. "Or 'mom' if you want."

Hayate flushed. "Um…no, that's ok, M…I mean Natsuko."

With a small laugh, she refilled her husband's mug. "And Kurt, dear, I think you should listen to your daughter more."

"Are you telling me you believe this nonsense about demons?"

Natsuko's gaze locked with Kurt's for a few moments. Hayate could tell by the intensity of their eyes that a fierce discussion was taking place between them that did not need words. He knew of this as he also could tell his clansmen what he wanted them to do during missions just by using his eyes. It appeared that the ability was also apart of marriage.

Or at least this one.

Kurt looked away with a deflated sigh. Natsuko rose to her full height, a sly smile on her face. It appeared she had won.

"Hitomi, honey, could you help me out in the kitchen?" The Japanese woman asked.

The youth looked to her mother, her father, Hayate, then back to her mother, baffled about what was going on.

"Uh…sure mama."

Kurt waited until the two departed into the kitchen. "She's going with you."

Hayate blinked. "So…you're agreeing to her wishes?"

"Of course not! But it's not my decision to make. Like I said before, she's a strong woman now, capable of making her own decisions."

"Whether I like it or not" Kurt added under his breath.

"You still told her no. As her sensei and father, she'd be honor bound to obey you." Hayate pointed out.

The older male gave a bark of laughter. "She wouldn't listen! You forget how headstrong she is and how much she cherishes you. I would be willing to bet she would give up almost anything to be with you."

"I…I don't think she would go…that far, sensei." Hayate's stuttering voice belied his somewhat neutral expression.

"Perhaps." Kurt agreed. "But you do mean a great deal to her and us." He clasped Hayate's shoulder. "You have been like a son we never had."

Hayate wanted to return the feeling, but kept quiet, feeling that it would be disrespectful to his real family.

"Truth be told." The Karate Dojo leader said. "I was hoping for Hitomi to have an older brother, someone to watch out for her should the wife and I pass on. I guess God was listening to us when he sent you are way."

"More like a deranged scientist was listening." Hayate thought, thinking about his experience with Donovan.

"But to think you'll be fighting demons…I never anticipated that my daughter would have to face such darkness."

Hayate's mind was wiped clean at Kurt's words. "You…know that demons exist?"

The man nodded. "For quite sometime. I encountered one during my training in the mountains many years ago, before I met my wife." He stared at the ceiling as he continued his tale. "It was weak, though. I defeated it with out much trouble. When I informed my sensei about it, he told me that I faced a 'low-caste' demon."

"Your sensei knew about them too?" Hayate inquired, surprised at the German man's story.

"Indeed. Although discussion of demons is considered taboo in many martial art circles, a few of us are well versed in their existence and history. It is even speculated that a few martial arts were created to combat the demons."

"I see." Hayate stated. "Our clan has fought many creatures of darkness, but these demons. They are…different."

"Yes." Kurt agreed. "From what you told me, stronger demons are leading them, organizing them, and reinforcing their ranks with other powerful demons. This is disturbing. Such occurrences are almost unheard of in these modern times."

Hayate pondered as a deep silence fell over the men. If the demons were in league with DOATEC, then someone or something must be controlling them. He doubted it was the Donovan, as the man was a scientist, not an occultist. So logically, it had to be another demon, a very powerful one. Perhaps this 'Vergil' that Bolverk mentioned. Once he received word from Ryu in China, he would focus his efforts on obtaining more information on DOATEC and its demons, while the others sought out the aide of the remaining fighters.

Know thy enemy, a common rule in war.

"Ein."

Hayate was flung back into the real world. "Yes, sensei?"

"I didn't tell my daughter about my knowledge of these creatures because I didn't want her to get involved. But since it appears that she already is…I ask you, please train my daughter to defend herself against them." Kurt asked with a stern look.

"Of course." Hayate readily replied.

"Good." Kurt's face softened into a smile. "In the meantime, you are more than welcome to stay here, as I'm sure Hitomi will be moving back in with us. You can help me with running the dojo, just like old times."

"Thank you, sensei." Hayate politely bowed. "I will do my best."

_Helena's suite_

_France_

_Saturday-10:22 a.m._

Helena let out an exhausted yawn and rested her head in her hand. She had stared in her computer screen for so long that her eyes began to burn.

"I want to see what exactly he is capable of. I need to…test him. I'll arrange something." She had said to Bayman last night about Dante.

"Easier said than done." The French woman muttered bitterly.

She had stayed up all night, turning her brain into clay. Not a single good idea came to her.

"Well, if I can't think of anything for this, I just work on something else." She thought.

She brought up the files on the DOATEC board members once more. She still had some work to do with the power-hungry old men. Yet after a few minutes, the thinking portion of her brain still refused to work.

"Arghhh!" Helena groaned, slouching in her chair. "I can't get anything done today!"

She stared lazily at her ceiling, giving up trying to form her own thoughts and instead, letting them come to her…hopefully.

It was odd. She never had such a heavy degree of mental block before, especially since she began her one-woman campaign against DOATEC. She had dedicated the reminder of her life to toppling the company and rebuilding it. She had vowed to let nothing stand in her way. Now her own short-comings were interfering with her goals.

She had come so far, yet she had even further to go. While her goals sounded simple, mind-numbing amounts of work would be needed. Getting the current board-members to leave without causing notice, dismantling a global corporation, rebuilding it from the ground up, re-staffing it, the list seemed endless.

"And to think, in the beginning I was satisfied with just destroying DOATEC." She reminisced, thinking about her attempt to demolish the Tri-tower, with her going down with it.

"And then that dopey Zack had to play 'knight in shining armor' and save the day." She half-chuckled. "I wonder what he's doing…"

Her eyes flew open. "Zack! That's it!"

She returned her attention to her laptop and began typing away with the skill of a professional. "What better way to test this Dante fellow, then by pitting him against someone from the tournament?!"

The list of all of the Dead or Alive tournament competitors sprang up on the screen, she carefully scanned each one.

"Hmmmm." She cupped her chin with her hand. "Bayman's on a mission. The ninjas are defiantly out. No one knows where Leon is. Jann Lee, Lei-Fang, Brad, Gen Fu, and Elliot are half the world away. Hitomi's just a high school student. Kokoro…" She paused at her half-sister. "No. Absolutely not."

"Which leaves Zack and…." Helena smiled. "The pro-wrestlers."

Pictures of Bass, his daughter Tina, and the newcomer La Mariposa crowded the laptop's monitor. They were perfect. They resided the closest to the target, each was almost always in close proximity to each other, and having Dante face all three of them would be a far better test then fighting against just one opponent.

"I have my actors." The opera star said softly. "Now to set the stage."

_Devil May Cry building_

_United States_

_Saturday-2:07 p.m._

"Mr. Dante?" Kasumi asked, shaking the body under the bed sheets. "Mr. Dante, please wake up. It's past noon already."

The lump groaned and turned away.

"Please, Mr. Dante?" Kasumi meekly implored. "You've missed breakfast _and_ lunch."

"Go 'way." A voice groggily responded.

"Mr. Dante." Kasumi added sternness to her tone. "You have to get up! I won't let you sleep through the whole day!"

"I said lemme alone!"

"Fine!" The red-head thought as she put her hands on her hips. "If you're going to act like a child, I'll treat you like one."

She waited a few moments, allowing the man to feel like he had won and let his guard down, then in one quick motion, she tore the sheet from his body…

And immediately colored.

She shrieked and covered her eyes. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

"Oh, for the love of…!" Dante growled as he sat up. "I'm wearing boxers!"

"I know! I'm sorry!" She repeated with her hands still over her eyes.

He grabbed his jeans from the floor. "Not everyone wears cute, little pajamas, ya know." Dante seethed.

"There!" The white-haired man stated, zipping up his pants. "It's safe now."

Kasumi slowly lowered her hands and peaked. She let out a sigh of relief and brought her hands down. "I'm sorry, Mr. Dante. I just wanted you to get up and…I guess… I didn't think about…."

"Forget it." Dante yawned and scratched his hair. "I'm not much of a morning person."

"But it's already afternoon." Kasumi pointed out.

"Whatever."

Silence lapsed in the room as Dante sat back down on his bed. Kasumi looked at the ground and fidgeted with her apron. The crimson in her cheeks had dulled, but not disappeared.

"Dante. Can I…talk to you?"

Dante repressed the urge to groan. He had a feeling that this talk would be like the others talks he had with Trish and Ayame, uncomfortable and awkward.

"Knock yourself out, kid."

"Well…when mother and I made breakfast, she told me…about…her idea." Kasumi focused her attention on her dress as she continued. "About us…getting married."

"Oh joy." Dante thought. "Here it comes."

"I would just like to say that…if…you do accept….I'll try to be a good wife to you!" She bowed respectively.

Dante stared unbelievably at the young girl for what seemed hours. "You what?!"

"Mother told me about the law that could release me from my label as a runaway." Kasumi meekly replied. "If…you decide to accept, I promise I'll be an honorable bride."

"I'm not hearing this." The mercenary muttered. "Are you serious?"

Kasumi faintly nodded. "Yes. Mother believes that it is the best way…the _only_ way."

"I'm not asking about what she thinks." Dante countered.

"I…I had my doubts" Kasumi confessed. "But as I thought about it, I realized that it's for the best, even if it means that…I can never…go home again."

Kasumi's voice almost failed as she continued. "But if it also means that my brother no longer has to hunt me, that I will no longer bring pain upon my family, and that I no longer have to face my clan as an enemy…than so be it."

"Jesus Christ." Dante whispered. "Are you actually listening to yourself?"

The red-head blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Do you expect me to sit here and believe this bullshit you're feedin' me? That you would just give up on your life to marry ME?!" Dante said, pointing to himself with his thumb. "Really kid, I know I'm good looking and all, but I don't think either of us is ready to tie the knot."

"I'm not giving up!" Kasumi blurted out. "And I am not lying to you! Ever since I left my clan, all I could think about was finding a way to go back home! I want to go home!"

She turned her back to the astonished demon hunter as tears began to spill down her cheeks.

"But I can't." Her voice was faint as she continued. "So instead…I've been given a choice. Continue being hunted by my family and clan until I die or marry and never go home again."

Dante somberly looked at the wooden floor as he dissected her situation. Whatever her choice was, it meant continued alienation from her clan. "So…damned if you do and damned if you don't, huh?"

"I don't expect you to understand." Kasumi confessed. "I'm trying to tell you that I will take this marriage a seriously as a real marriage should."

"You're right, I don't understand!" Dante shot back. "But I guess that it doesn't matter."

Kasumi faced Dante again, this time with determination etched in her face. "My mother would never have asked you if she didn't think you were worthy, Dante. She chose you as my husband, and I trust her judgment."

"Worthy, huh?" Dante huffed. He eyed the Japanese teenager for a few seconds. "Just how old are you?"

"I'm seventeen." Kasumi replied.

"Christ. You're not even legal."

Kasumi kept quiet.

"I'm gonna to give you a piece of advice." Dante stated as he stood up. "No matter what someone tells you, no matter what the situation you're in, there's always another option, another way. Believe me, I didn't get here by going with what was only given to me. You give me a choice between A and B and I'm gonna chose C."

The girl cocked her head at Dante. "What do you mean?"

"Simple." Dante shrugged. "Just 'cause you think you only have two choices don't mean there ain't a third."

Kasumi looked doubtful. "I guess so…but…"

The half-demon sighed. He knew he would regret what he was about to say. "I'll tell you what, how 'bout we make a deal?"

"A deal?" Kasumi asked.

"I'll help you look for another way out of this little dilemma of yours that doesn't involve you getting hitched, hunted, or anything else bad." The mercenary's voice began expressed awkwardness. "If I can't then…I guess…we'll get…married…or whatever."

Kasumi paused. "Mr. Dante, if you object to mother's idea in anyway, please tell me now. I don't want to feel like I forced you into this."

"Oh, please. With a sob story like your's, how could I refuse?" Dante smoothly replied.

"I see." Kasumi smiled a little. "Then I accept."

"Cool." Dante smiled back. "No offense, but I believe a person should choose who they want to marry."

The kunoichi nodded. "I'll go ask mother if there is another way, something she might have forgotten."

"I call you when dinner is ready." Kasumi opened the door. Just before she departed she turned her head to the devil hunter. "Don't go back to sleep, ok?"

Dante rolled his eyes. "Yes, mother."

As soon as the door closed, Kasumi's smile fell into a saddened expression. She leaned against the door as she thought to herself.

"I just lied to him." She confessed. "There's no other way, no third choice, Dante. I already tried to find one."

She closed her eyes, feeling ashamed of herself. "But, don't worry Dante. I will make it up to you. I will make you happy."

On the other side of the door, Dante fell back into his bed and stared at the ceiling.

"Why do I feel like I just dug my own grave?" He whispered.

_Valerie's_

_United States_

_Saturday-7:22 p.m._

While the youngest son of Sparda knew only of seedy watering holes that housed the rowdy roughnecks and low-lives the city held, Trish preferred drinking establishments that catered to a more civilized group.

She stumbled upon Valerie's by chance and immediately fell in love with the place. It was a simple building that looked like any other tavern, but inside the brick walls was what made it extraordinary. Every night, Valerie, herself would get on stage and perform some of her favorite jazz and R&B songs that drew in crowds of people of every race, religion, and ethnicity who loved her style of music. The jazz bar was a mellow, soothing place, perfect for a relaxing drink.

Trish's frequent occupancy of the bar had caused the others to accept her, despite her unusual attire. But tonight she had a guest with her, a middle-aged Asian woman wearing an elaborate, but beautiful kimono.

The blonde demoness let out a sigh of relief. "It's been far too long since I came back here."

Ayame lift her tea to her lips. "This place is very relaxing. I can see why you say it's your favorite."

Trish nodded enthusiastically.

Valerie, dressed in a sparkling red evening dress, took center stage and began a slow blues song. Her voice carried across the building, making the usual talk and bar noises to drop in volume to allow the music and singer to dominate.

"Such a sweet voice, she has." Ayame whispered. "I suppose it's another reason why her bar is so popular."

Trish took a drink from her scotch. "I'm just surprised that you wanted to go out. Ever since we sprang you from DOATEC, you've basically been a shut in. You even told us that you don't want to go back to Japan yet."

"My village is gone. I have no home to return to. Besides, I thought it best to remain hidden for a bit. DOATEC is surely looking for us."

"You're pretty sharp." Trish regarded the older female.

"You don't live in a ninja village all your life without picking up a few things." Ayame coyly informed. "Ms. Trish, there is something else I wish to speak to you about."

"Shoot." Trish brought her scotch up for another drink.

"Well, to be blunt, do you have feelings for Dante?"

Trish almost spat out her liquor. "Can't be anymore blunt than that." She coughed.

"I'm sorry if I'm intruding into your personal life, but…it is important."

Trish cracked a smile. "Well, I suppose it's no real secret. I do love the big lug."

"And does he feel the same?"

Trish's smile became pained. "I don't know that he even knows. We're so close, but when I try to get closer…" She shook her head.

"My daughter told me about when you two meet." Ayame stated. "Only something as this Mundus could be so cruel as to use the image of his mother as a weapon against him."

Trish had a far off look on her features. "I know. But one day I hope that he can look past my face and see the real me." Trish let out a suppressed laugh. "Listen to me! One glass of scotch and I'm talking like a lovesick school girl!"

Trish swirled her drink around, watching the ice cubes dance in the maple liquid. "Why are so curious about my relationship with Dante?"

Ayame felt sick as to what she would have to say, but Trish had a right to know. "I have asked Dante to take Kasumi as his bride."

Trish paled. "Wh…what?"

"If he marries my daughter, he can save her from a terrible fate at the hands of our clan. Believe me, I wouldn't have asked him if there wasn't any other option."

Trish set her drink down. Her hands began to slightly tremble.

"I wish…I truly wish there were another way." Ayame clenched her hands, feeling like she was killing someone with each word. "But I need Dante. He's neutral to our clan, he's strong enough to protect her, and…and I know in my heart he will be a wonderful husband."

Trish remained silent, the live music that filled the room washed over the two women.

"What did Dante say?"

"My daughter talked to him about it earlier today." Ayame calmly replied. "She said that he was thinking about it. Although, I feel that he might accept. Even when he was young, he wanted to be a hero."

"I know." Trish said more to herself.

The conversation lapsed into silence once more. The uneasiness that radiated from both women was all too obvious, but both were too caught up in their own thoughts to notice.

Trish felt like her entire world was crumbling. Despite the set backs, the hurt feelings, and the constant treading on shaky round, there was a part of her that fantasized about Dante and her finally coming together, a fantasy that was now in jeopardy.

Ayame repeatedly told herself that she was doing this for her daughter's sake, to what little comfort it gave her.

"It's his choice." Trish finally spoke.

Trish could feel the anger grow, but whether it was about Dante, the arranged marriage, or both was lost on her.

Before the mother of the three ninja siblings could say a word, Trish briskly stood and excused herself to the restroom. Ayame watch helplessly at the retreating blonde.

"I'm so sorry Trish." She whispered.

She stared at her tea for a few moments before politely waving over a waiter.

"Excuse me, but you wouldn't happen to have some sake, would you?"

_S.S. Antlia_

_Atlantic Ocean_

_Saturday-11:08 p.m._

"So, where do we stand?"

Rachel had punctured the stale silence that had long fallen over the female warriors. The blonde had traded her leather attire for more casual wear consisting of a red blouse and denim shorts.

"Aside from discovering DOATEC is also scouring the globe for the jewels, we're essentially dead in the water."

Lady answered her partner's question with barely contained agitation. She, too, had gone with normal clothes to blend in with the passengers of the _Antlia_, a blue tank top and skirt. The cruise ship was neither glamorous nor decrepit. If it could be described in one word it would have to be 'adequate'. There were other, more luxurious ships to choose from, but the modest-sized boat's security was lax enough to allow them to sneak their arsenal onboard without worry.

"Once we hit shore, we'll see if our source has discovered anything." Lucia added.

The redhead stretched on her bed, as their little meeting was held in her cabin. Despite her white pullover and jeans, her dark skin and bright red hair made her somewhat hard to miss in a crowd.

Rachel fiddled with her hair that she had let down. "I'm used to hunting fiends, not hidden treasure."

"I know what you mean." Lady concurred. "This is a lot more frustrating."

"I suppose there's a reason why they haven't been found for nearly two thousand years." Lucia admitted.

The unsettling quiet took over for the second time. Since their get-together began two hours ago, only a good fifteen minutes of nonconsecutive conversation had taken place, most of it going over facts they already knew.

"It's late. We're tired. Let's just sleep on it for now." Lucia announced as she rubbed the bridge of her nose. "We've got a few days until we hit China, I'm sure we can think of something then."

Without a word, Lady and Rachel arose from their seats and somberly exited the small room.

"So much for productive dialogue." Lucia groaned.

She was beginning to wonder if searching for the objects was worth it. If she and her clan could not find them after almost half a century, what chance did her new friends or her have?

Lucia turned off the lights. Mentally and physically exhausted, the half-demon quickly fell asleep.

Lady entered her quarters. Her beloved weapon, Kalina Ann, was propped up in a corner of the room. Her other firearms were carefully laid out on the table, some disassembled as she had been cleaning them before their meeting. She took her seat and resumed where she left off.

Maintenance of her guns had a sort of therapeutic effect on her. Some collected coins to relax, others build miniature trains. She worked on her numerous firearms.

She wiped one of her Desert Eagles with a rag, than brought it up as to fire it. She squeezed the trigger, resulting in a metallic clank. The gun's bolt was locked back, signaling that it was empty. Lady turned the gun over in her hand. Satisfied, she set the chrome-plated sidearm down and started on its twin.

Her lips curved into a humorous smile as she realized that she was handling her weapons like a professional gunsmith, while only a few years ago, she would have been to afraid to even pick one up.

Of course, before her father's betrayal, she did not need to.

It amazed her how quickly she adapted to her new life as a demon slayer. She had encountered creatures only found in nightmares and witnessed the horrible atrocities they committed. She battled them, crushed them, and sent them back to the pit filled with lead. But no matter how many demons she killed or lives she saved because of, none of it made her feel any better.

She has no family, no friends. Her father killed her mother before being killed himself by her own hands. Her friends at school were killed when that damned tower arose. She had no other relatives.

She was alone.

Her hands slowed at that thought. That was what made all of her victories bittersweet. She fought for vengeance, but all she craved after defeating one demon was to vanquish another. It was a self-defeating purpose, one that would ultimately kill her…or cause her to go insane.

How she managed to stay sane for as long as she did stupefied her. Becoming acquainted with Rachel had helped, but they barely knew each other, and she had a feeling that she, too, was feeling the effects of their chosen professions.

She had grown stronger, tougher, braver, but all of it meant nothing against the crushing hopelessness of isolation. She needed someone.

She needed Dante.

He was the only one left in the world who knew her, the real her, the scared girl who hated every demon, regardless of who or what they were, until he showed that not everything was so black and white, not even when it came to demons.

Yes, she needed Dante, but Dante did not need her.

With an angered growl, she almost slammed her gun on the table and marched into the bathroom. She was getting emotional again. She needed to contain it. Otherwise it could cause…problems.

She removed her clothes and stepped into the shower. Hot water sprayed onto her as she diligently washed her skin.

"A hot shower always calms the most frazzled nerves." Her mother once told her.

"Mother's always right." Lady chuckled as she lathered her hair with the cheap shampoo of the cruise ship.

She rinsed her hair, turned the water off, and stepped out. Her hand grasped a towel, but slowly let go. As if in a trance, the young human woman walked in front of the bathroom's fogged mirror.

She wanted to see. She had to see who was in the reflection. No weapons, no clothes, only her. What was in the reflection, a fierce warrior, a little girl pretending, or something else? She never looked at herself, _truly_ looked at herself after she shot her father dead.

The woman once called Mary wiped the moisture that clung to the glass.

What stared back was the face she had when she was younger, only hardened, emotionless, and scarred. Numerous scars were dotted all over her naked body. They were small and hard to see, but they were there.

Maybe they gave her body character…or maybe they made her hideous. She did not know. She did not care. Dante would not.

"Dante." She whispered. "I want to see you…so bad. To hear that stupid voice of yours, telling me it's alright. But…if I do…I don't think I will be able to go back to this life."

Was trading in her life as a devil hunter worth being with the son of Sparda and if she did, what would she be, his lover, his friend perhaps?

"Too many questions." She mumbled, snatching the towel off the rack and wrapping it around herself. "And not one answer."

Meanwhile, a few rooms down from Lady, Rachel laid herself out on her bed, her arms behind her head. She gazed out into the night sky from the small window in her room.

Rachel, like Lady, had thought about her new comrade-in-arms. Lady's skills and knowledge had proven invaluable in the past battles against both fiend and demon. But the partner she wanted was her sister, Alma.

She wanted to fight with her sibling, side by side. They were inseparable when they were children. It seemed natural to be together now. The only time they were apart happened when the despicable fiend, Doku, stole her and turned her into a monster, just like him.

Now Alma was with the people who trained her, taught her to harness the fiend blood in her, to wield weapons that no ordinary human could, to track down the vile creatures and crush them with her own power. With time, her younger sister would be able to join her.

She was getting ahead of herself, though. Right now, she had a mission to do, these 'jewels' or whatever they were, posed a great threat to humanity.

Her stomach churned with nervousness. Since the battle at Vigoor, she had only been in fairly small and simple battles, nothing like the fierce and seemingly unending opponents she had faced while tracking down Doku. Would she be able to take on the demons that she would undoubtedly face?

She raised her arm and clenched and unclenched her hand. She felt as strong as ever, but her inadequacies became all too apparent during her vendetta against Doku and his horde. Taken by surprise and almost devoured by a multiple-eyed, tentacle freak, knocked out by the Dark Samurai and taken captive, and continually relying on Ryu to save her, like a damsel in distress.

It infuriated her to know that she was still too weak to fully protect herself. It was insulting that a human had to rescue her, her sister, and exact retribution on Doku.

But…it was also the same reason she fell in love with the loner.

She dropped her arm and rolled over to get more comfortable

"After things had quieted down some, I'll find you." She whispered.


	14. icy fear

A/N: I've been working on some other fics besides this one, so once again, it's a little late, but I managed to put more work in it than the last one, so enjoy. FYI, Ryu's alias is the name of his voice actor in the games, just thought I put that in there.

Disclaimer: DMC owned by Capcom. DOA and NG owned by Team Ninja and Tecmo. I own nothing…NOTHING!

Chapter 14: I really like doing this.

**Dead or Alive 4: The Devil Factor**

**Chapter 14: Icy Fear**

_Jann Lee's studio apartment_

_China_

_Sunday-11:48 a.m._

"Ugh." Jann Lee dropped the remote control. "Over 200 channels and not one good thing on."

Ryu continued with his meditation, ignoring the bored Chinese fighter.

During morning practice, he preferred to train his mind as well as his body. Jann Lee, who thought for a moment that he could also benefit from such training, had attempted to join him. To his credit, Jann Lee tried for a good ten minutes before declaring that he was bored and plopped down in front of his T.V.

So far, their early morning training was the only thing that the bouncer/bodyguard showed any interest in. Nearly everything else in his life he showed a thinly veiled annoyance for. He had even quit his job at the _Red Dragon_, claiming that it no longer held any excitement and that it would cut into their training.

Unless he was fighting or training, Jann Lee seemed to not care about anything.

"I'm gonna call take-out." Jann Lee turned off his set and reached for the phone. "You want you're usual?"

Ryu let out an affirmative murmur. How Jann Lee ate so much take-out, yet still be in top condition baffled the super ninja.

"By the way." The Jeet Kune Do master paused at his dialing. "I thought you were gonna get plane tickets for us yesterday."

Ryu never opened his eyes, nor did he move from his position on the floor as he answered. "The tickets we need are waiting for us at Beijing."

Jann Lee narrowed his gaze. "I thought we agreed about Lei-Fang."

"We have." Ryu calmly informed. "But attempting to get a one-way trip to Germany has been…difficult."

"Caught up in red tape, huh?"

A few moments of silence fell between the warriors.

Jann Lee shrugged his shoulders. "Fine, whatever."

Ryu pondered about his next move. After meeting with Hayate, he would have to contact Gen Fu, his apprentice Elliot, and hopefully Brad Wong. While he knew where the "Fatal Iron Fist's" temple and dojo was located, Brad Wong was a drifter by nature. Finding him would be a challenge. He did not even know if he was still in China.

In retrospect, Brad Lee was not the only problem. Baymen's apathetic nature meant that going to him would be pointless, unless he was promised Donovan. He would have to talk to Hayate about it. Of course he would have to _find_ the Russian first. As for Leon…

The last of the Hayabusa clan shook his head. He was analyzing things far too much, he needed to calm himself.

A blade will wear itself out if not sheathed when it is not used.

Ryu resumed his meditation.

_Devil May Cry building_

_United States_

_Monday-3:07 a.m._

"No…please…go away."

Ayane curled herself tighter in a fetal position.

The nightmares had returned in full force. The images that haunted her kept flashing through her mind, against her will. The memories of the deaths of Yuri, Shiden, and Genra assaulted her, causing her to no longer have faith in her mental health.

"Why?" She sobbed. "Why is this happening to me?"

_Go_

Ayane's eyes flew open as a voice in her head began to speak.

_Go see him._

The shinobi grew confused.

_He'll make you feel better. He'll take all the pain away._

Ayane felt a sharp pain in her head, like a cold needle had punctured her brain. A dizzying sensation overloaded her senses. She wanted to vomit, but the feeling passed as a cool yet familiar presence invaded her mind.

_You've almost have no one left._

Her body involuntarily shook.

_He won't reject you. You and he are the same. Considered tainted by many, hated by more._

"But…he's…"Ayane tried to argue, but nothing came to her.

_You need someone, why not him, if not for a moment?_

Ayane considered the words, unaware that they were not from her. She clentched her eyes shut, trying to forget the whole thing and go to sleep, even if her dreams were no longer a sanctuary for her pain.

She let out a shaky breath. Her skin burned.

She slipped out of her bed and made her way to the door.

--

"That was far too simple." The demon spoke, flexing his hand. "She might be strong on the outside, but inside, she's still just a child." A wicked smile spread across his face. "And all children want love."

He continued to stare into the building across from him, watching what was happening inside the _Devil May Cry_…

And what was about to unfold.

--

Dante blinked. He was faintly aware that he was no longer asleep. His brain attempted to catch up to his senses. By the time he was actually alert, he felt something nearby.

There was also someone else in his room. He gave a quick glance around.

A lone female figure stood in front of his bed. The darkness enveloped her, making identification a bit troublesome. Not to mention his eyesight was currently reduced to interpreting shapes and colors due to drowsiness.

"Whoever it is, go 'way. I'm sleepin' here!" He groaned, and flopped back down on his bed.

"Jesus, can't even get a decent night's sleep 'round here." He bitterly thought, as he tried to reenter his peaceful slumber.

A few eerily quiet moments passed. Dante did not hear the person leave, speak, or even move from her spot.

With a growl, he sat back up. "You deaf over there?! I said…"

Dante trailed off when his eyes finally adjusted to the darkness. Before him stood a very nude Ayane.

"Kid?" Dante called out uneasily. "You ok?"

Without a word, Ayane climbed onto his bed and slowly crawled to him.

"Kid?" Dante almost squeaked out. "Wh…What are you doing?"

Not a word left her lips. Her bangs covered her eyes, hiding the fear within. But her feelings were lost on the half-demon, as he discovered that her hair was naturally purple.

"This is dream!" Dante told himself. "It HAS to be a dream!"

The kunoichi was mere inches away from his face.

"Please be a dream?"

All rational thoughts came to a crashing halt as Ayane closed the gap between them. Her tongue licked the tip of his earlobe. She pressed herself against the bewildered devil hunter.

"Whoa…those are _definitely_ real." Dante unconsciously pointed out.

Her hand went through his hair, gently gripping a handful of his locks, ensuring that he would not turn away from her.

Dante fought himself bitterly to keep the impulses from taking over. Something was _very_ wrong with this scenario. How could a girl who barely contained her dislike for him suddenly change into THIS?

"Come on, Dante." Ayane whispered huskily into his ear. "I'm right here."

Words failed him, just like his brain when it refused to think of a way out.

"Come on, Dante." Ayane repeated in her mind, albeit more coldly. "I'm right here, why aren't you doing anything?"

Dante had to admit that he would be lying if he said he did not find her attractive, but thinking a girl was hot and wanting to go all the way with her were two separate things.

At least for him it was.

Besides, if she really was Kasumi's younger sister, that would mean she was also underage. Grade-A jailbait.

She pressed her mouth against his, licking his lips in an attempt to open them.

Dante squirmed. Normally he would not mind such attention from a female, but getting it from the violet-haired brat was something that alarmed him.

She finally broke the kiss and loomed over him.

"What's wrong?"

"Kid, we can't do this." Dante tried to sound firm, but her little displays of affection had thrown him for a loop.

"Why not?"

"You're not my type." He answered rather bluntly, hoping to turn her off.

"I don't care." She replied in a dispassionate tone.

"And you're just a kid!"

"I don't care." She brushed her hand across his cheek.

She spoke the truth. She truly did not care. All her life she had to hold in all the anger she felt, the pain of her existence, the feelings she was not allowed to have, always keeping herself in check, it was not fair. She hated trying to act superior to everyone, yet always be looked down upon.

She deserved to be free from her life, tonight.

Ayane pressed on Dante's chest. "Lie down."

"Kid, I don't think you know what you're…"

"Please." Her voice trembled along with her body. "Lie down."

It all clicked. Dante recognized her pained voice, her sudden need for someone, seemingly out of the blue. He had experienced it too, early in his life, when he thought the world was against him. She felt alone, just like he used to. They both covered it with arrogance, sarcasm, and apathy. But he had Trish, Lucia, and Lady. Without them, he was not sure if he would be the same person he was today.

Ayane let out a gasp as Dante gently grasped her shoulders.

"Ok, kid." Dante whispered. "You can stop now."

The shaking intensified. She felt like she had just woken from a dream.

"Oh, Kami." She thought. "What am I doing?"

Then the tears came.

--

"Huh, she actually overcame me?" The demon sounded a bit astonished. "I guess there's some fire in her after all."

He stared at his hand as he clenched it. "And here I thought I could get at the son of Sparda with her."

"Oh well." He slowly faded from existence. "Another time, perhaps."

--

An uneasy silence loomed about Dante's room. The mercenary had his arms behind his head as he stared out the window. Ayane sat at the foot oh his bed, curled into a ball. She had acquired one of Dante's shirts that he had carelessly left on the floor. She had stopped crying and was now staring at the floor with a forlorn look.

"Don't worry about it, kid." Dante reassured. "Sometimes depression gets the better of us."

The teen merely nodded.

"I think…its best that we forgot about this."

Ayane suppressed a snort. Forget? She knew that she would never bring what happened up to anyone, but to simply act like this never happened was foolish.

Then again…what choice did she have?

Ayane nodded again

"Well…We'd better go back to…"

"Can I stay here?" Ayane cringed as she realized that she spoke rather abruptly.

Dante looked perplexed.

"I don't…" The 'female tengu' fought down a wave of embarrassment before she continued. "I don't want to be alone."

Dante did not have it in him to say no. He scooted over.

"Don't…don't think that you can touch me or anything now." She said as she slipped in next to him.

"I'll try and restrain myself." Dante rolled on his side, putting his back to the half-dressed Ayane. He stiffened as a pair of arms encircled his chest from behind.

"Don't." Ayane whispered. "Don't say anything."

Dante let out an agitated sigh.

_Hong Kong International Airport_

_China_

_Monday-7:34 a.m._

A sea of people flooded the main building of the international airport. Business men and women hustled to their flights for meetings and presentations. Families wondered in confusion as they prepared for their vacations of rest and relaxation. A dull roar of voices filled the ears of all who entered. Large windows allowed the morning sun to shine into the airport, providing warmth, despite the false-pleasant manner that the staff gave to all. Everyone was dead-set on their tasks and did not notice the two young men who entered the main lobby.

"So much for beating the rush." Jann Lee muttered.

Even Ryu felt a slight disappointment, but characteristically, did not let it show.

After waiting for what seemed as a lifetime in a line of people, Ryu and Jann Lee came in front of a ticket vendor.

"I have two tickets to Beijing under the name 'Hideyuki Hiro'." Ryu informed.

Jann Lee cracked an eyebrow at his sparring buddy, but quickly deduced that he was using a fake name.

"Let me see here." The vendor quickly typed the information into her computer. "Nope. Sorry, but there are no tickets under that name."

"There must be a mistake." Ryu controlled his annoyance.

The vendor tried again and shook her head. "Still nothing. Are you sure you placed the reservation?"

"Quite sure." Ryu firmly stated. "I booked passage to Beijing from Hong Kong almost a week ago."

"Hmmm." She searched her computer a third time, the phony smile still on her face. "Oh, here they are, Mr. Hiro."

Ryu let out a relieved sigh.

"I'm afraid they were canceled."

The sigh almost became a groan. "Excuse me?"

"It says here that they were canceled yesterday and new ones put in."

Jann Lee joined in. "New ones?"

"Yes. Under the _Shimmering Jade_ Corporation."

"_Shimmering Jade_?" Jann Lee guffawed. "That's a weird name."

"Your tickets are waiting for you at terminal 6-B." The vendor bowed. "Have a nice flight."

Ryu wanted to know how his tickets were canceled, and then new ones bought without his knowledge or consent but decided not to waste time any further. With a curt nod, he left the vendor's both and made his way to the designated terminal with Jann Lee right beside him.

The Chinese man threw his arms behind his head as they walked. "_Shimmering Jade_ Corporation, huh? Why does that sound so damn familiar?"

Ryu had to admit that the name also rang a bell, but could not remember why.

"Say." Jann Lee quietly spoke. "You don't think this is a trap by DOATEC or somethin'?"

The super ninja could not confirm nor deny the theory. "We should be alert, just in case."

Jann Lee nodded and began to look at nearly everyone with suspicion, clueing Ryu in that the Jeet Kune Do warrior was somewhat inexperienced in the art of discretion.

They passed through customs without incident, which surprised Jann Lee as he was certain that within the Japanese man's few articles of luggage were a katana and other ninjitsu weapons.

"Man, you scare me sometimes." Jann Lee voice was low so that only his partner could hear him. "How you can get all that shit through security is…beyond…"

The bouncer paused just a few feet from their terminal, utter amazement etched his face. Ryu followed Jann Lee's gaze.

"There you are." A cheerful voice greeted. "Do you know how long I've been waiting for you?"

_Devil May Cry building_

_United States_

_Monday-9:44 a.m._

While the city teemed with life, the slums that Dante had taken up residence in only showed its true colors at night, when the mercenaries, bounty hunters, and other outlaws emerged from their safe houses and dens. But in the morning, when daylight prevailed, they scurried back to their homes, to wait and rest until the night took over once again.

Yet one individual who counted as one of those who only showed themselves at night walked unsteadily on the sidewalk as he headed to the sanctuary of the most talked about mercenary and devil hunter.

"Ugh." Enzo put a hand on the door of the _Devil May Cry_. "Why'd I go with tequila? I've always been a vodka man."

He pushed open the wooden and glass door and stumbled in.

"What do you want, Enzo?" Dante greeted, sitting at his desk.

"Hey there, big guy." Enzo slurred. "How's it hangin'?"

Dante crinkled his nose. He could smell the booze wafting from the fat Italian. "You've been drinkin' all night again? I swear, the minute I get any cash, you blow it at the nearest bar."

"Oh, take a chill pill." Enzo flopped down in the recliner. "What time is it?"

"Almost ten." Dante said as he flipped through a motorcycle magazine.

"Really?" Enzo sounded surprised. "No wonder that bar was so empty. But hey, its noon somewhere, right?"

No response.

"Hey, Dante? Sumthin' buggin' ya?"

"Well, let's see." Dante rested his head in his hand. "I've got three unwanted guests who have been causin' me nuthin' but grief, a partner who has been actin' like death warmed over, I got a job that just won't end, payment that I can't figure out, my brother's come back, acting like the asshole he always was, _and_ I just can't wait till these gals all start their periods because I'm bettin' that's gonna be barrels of fun!" Dante threw his magazine on his desk in disgust. "I barely lived with two females, fours gonna be death for me."

"Oh grow up, ya bum." Enzo waved a hand dismissively. "They ain't gonna kill ya. Maybe nag ya a lot, but…"

"Shut it, tubby." Dante growled.

"Jeeze, can't even take a joke." Enzo shrugged. "Well, anyways, the reason I'm here is that I remembered that I got this new job for ya that…"

"I'll take it."

Enzo blinked. Dante never just took a job without hearing about it first. "But…I haven't told you…"

"I don't care what it is." Dante snapped. "Just get me outta here!"

A smirk overcame the portly Italian's face. "Well alright then."

_Shimmering Jade Corp's private airline_

_Currently en-route to Beijing_

_Monday-10:12 a.m._

"I can't believe you did this." Jann Lee scowled. "I mean, isn't it illegal to swap our tickets without telling us?"

"Well, I could have gotten a ticket with you, but really, coach? Either its first-class or nothing."

"Spoiled little rich girl." Jann Lee snorted.

Lei Fang glared at her eternal rival. "What was that?!"

"Nuthin'."

_Shimmering Jade_ Corporation, manufacturer of China's top cosmetics, a multi-billion dollar industry and the president of the company, Lei Kai, father of Lei Fang. The pieces came together too late for Ryu and Jann Lee.

"Mr. Hayabusa?" Lei Fang asked with a smile. "Would you like anything to drink? Or eat, perhaps? I can have the cook make you anything you want."

"No." Ryu replied. "Thank you."

"You sure? I managed to get some sake just for you."

"I don't drink alcohol."

"Hey, I could use some O.J." Jann Lee added.

"I don't recall asking what you wanted." Lei Fang's voice lost her cheerfulness when she spoke to him.

Jann Lee grumbled something and stared out his window.

"How did you manage to convince the airport to cancel my tickets and put your own in?" Ryu inquired.

"Oh, it was nothing. I just told them that I was coming with you and needed something better." Lei Fang responded.

"I see." Ryu crossed his arms. "And they just believed you?"

"Well not at first." She gave a mischievous smile and raised the back of her hand to her mouth. "But after I used my irresistible feminine charms on him, the guy would have sold me the clothes on his back."

Lei Fang did not see Jann Lee roll his eyes.

"And how did you know I was in Hong Kong to begin with?" Ryu wanted to know how this Chinese college student could have located him without his knowledge.

"Simple." Lei Fang took a drink from her soda. "I found out when you stayed at his apartment."

Jann Lee almost jumped out of his seat. "Hold on. Are you saying that you were stalking me?!"

"Oh, don't be ridiculous." The young woman waved a dismissive hand. "I'm just keeping tabs on you to make sure you don't go and disappear before I defeat you."

"Like that will happen." Jann Lee shot back. "Besides, that sounds like stalking to me."

The argument raged on between the two, much to Ryu's dismay. He valued peace and tranquility as his life only had a few instances of it. Caught in a medium-sized jet with two people fighting like a couple was not how he pictured his trip to be.

"Drink, sir?"

Ryu found the source of the smooth female voice to a very attractive flight attendant. Her long, shimmering, ebony hair was tied into braids. Her face revealed that she was of European decent. There was something very alluring about her.

"Some ice water, if you have some." Ryu responded.

"Of course, sir." She produced a glass, filled it with water and ice, and then handed it to him.

His fingertips brushed against hers when he took the glass. A chill rushed down his spine.

"Feel free to ask me if there's anything else you need, sir." She smiled seductively.

He watched wordlessly as the luscious woman pushed her cart into the mini-kitchen. He felt a certain…darkness around her

"If you like, I can get her number for you."

Ryu snapped his head to Lei Fang who was giving him wide grin.

"Into flight attendants, huh?" Jann Lee laughed. "Never would have pegged ya for the type."

"No, it's not that." Ryu said, taking a long drink. "I thought I saw something."

"I'm sure." Jann Lee mocked.

"She must be new." Lei Fang placed a finger on her chin, thinking. "Cause I've never seen her before."

Ryu wanted to brush off the feeling as just a passing thing, but he had learned to trust his instincts about people. He would have to watch her.

"Anyway," The petite teenager continued. "Now that I got all of you here, do you mind telling me what you boys are up to?"

"What do you mean?" Ryu calmly replied.

"Oh, don't give me that!" Lei Fang berated. "I know there's something going on." She pointed at Ryu, accusingly. "And don't say any of that 'we're just hanging out' garbage, because I know for a fact that you don't show your face unless you're doing something important. So spill."

Ryu looked at Lei Fang, then to Jann Lee, then back to the former. "Uh…"

"Tell her." Jann Lee gazed out his window. "Might as well, she just gonna bug us where ever we go until she gets her way. Just like a brat."

Lei Fang puffed her cheeks and gave the deadliest glare to Jann Lee.

Ryu sighed. "Very well."

--

Inside the dark kitchen, the flight attendant stood in the center of the room. The chef and other flight attendant lay unconscious on the floor. The shadows moved and swayed unnaturally around her.

"A shame." She purred. "I wanted to play with the German girl and her boy toy."

She gave a backwards glance to the door that led to the main cabin. "But I guess the Chinese couple and the ninja will have to do."

She gave a small, predatory laugh as black mist swirled around her.

_Devil May Cry building_

_United States_

_Tuesday-2:26 p.m._

"One ticket to Houston, Texas." Enzo declared as he handed Dante an envelope. "Man, I can just smell that half million already."

"Don't get ahead of yourself, tons of fun." Dante said as he slammed the trunk of Trish's car. "I still don't like this whole 'go to Texas and wait for instructions' bit."

"Hey, you wanted it." Enzo reminded.

Dante grumbled and turned to the two awaiting figures.

Ayame stepped forward. "Have a pleasant journey." She bowed. "We will await your return home."

"Uh…thanks?" Dante regarded the older woman. "Hey, where your brats at?"

Ayame rose and offered Dante a smile. "I'm afraid I don't know. But I'm sure they have a good reason for not seeing you off."

"That's ok." Dante shrugged. "I'm not one for tearful goodbyes."

Trish took her place next to the Aisan woman. "Looks like I'm runnin' the place again."

"Just don't burn it down while I'm gone." Dante joked.

"Keep the comedy to yourself." Trish smirked. "This might be good for you, because, you know, all that pressure you're under, living with four females, a job that's going nowhere."

Dante furrowed his brow in confusion.

"Personally, I think your partner is acting normally." Ayame chimed in. "And I think you were going a bit extreme about the other thing all women experience."

Dante paled. "You, uh, heard all that yesterday?"

"You were practically yelling it." Trish crossed her arms. "By the way, my attitude during my time of the month couldn't hold a candle to the temper tantrums you usually throw."

The white-haired man sputtered for a moment, before letting out a defeated sigh and lowering his head.

"…Sorry."

"You're forgiven." Ayame replied happily.

"Yeah." Trish put one hand on her hip and used the other to playfully ruffle her partner's hair. "We know you didn't mean it."

Ayame giggled then abruptly stopped. "Oh, I almost forgot. I'll be right back." She turned and hurried back in the shop.

Trish watched the door close. "It's weird. She has no will to go back to her home. I think she truly wants to stay here."

Dante patted his hair back down. "Wadda mean?"

"I talked to her a bit ago. She told me the reason she wanted to stay was to wait until the heat dies down." Trish bit her thumbnail. "But…I feel like she's not telling us something."

"Her?" The blue-eyed man almost laughed. "I think she's an honest woman. Well maybe a bit…too honest."

"Perhaps." Trish whispered, briefly remembering her talk with Ayame. "But, I just can't shake this feeling."

"Hey!" Enzo shouted. "Hate ta interrupt, but if ya don't haul-ass now, your gonna miss your flight!"

Dante gave Trish a skeptical glance before walking to the Eclipse. "I heard ya, Enzo! We're going!"

"Wait!" Ayame burst out the door. "Here, I got something for you!" She presented a box wrapped in a decorative cloth.

"What's this?" Dante analyzed the mysterious package.

"A bento."

Ayame noticed Dante's face as it showed further confusion and tried again. "It's a Japanese lunchbox."

"Lunchbox?" He huffed. "Trish's takin' me to the airport, not pre-school."

"It's for you to eat on your flight!"

"They serve lunch on the plane, ya know." The demon hunter pointed out.

Her expression was dead-serious. "And I can only imagine what type of slop they would try to feed you." Warmth returned to her face. "But with this, I know you'll get all the nutrition you need."

Dante looked at the mother of three like she had just grown a third arm. "What are you, doing a commercial or sumthin'?"

"Ah, isn't that sweet." Trish snickered. "Looks like mommy made a special lunch for her wittle boy."

Enzo erupted in laughter.

Dante seethed. "That's it, I'm outta here!"

Ayame laughed as she watched Trish secure the bento with the rest of Dante's luggage, Enzo still in an uproar. Perhaps she went a little far with the bento, but she was imposing herself and her family on a man that might become her son-in-law. She had to make herself useful. Otherwise she would feel like she was taking advantage of his kindness.

A sharp coldness surged through her body. They were being watched. She scanned the area, checking rooftops, windows, doorways, and alleyways. No one, the street was practically abandoned. Then she caught a glimpse of something in the shadows before it vanished.

It was clad in green and wore a top hat.

"Now stay outta trouble, ya hear?" Enzo lectured. "I ain't gonna fly to Texas to bail ya out if they throw ya in the slammer!"

"Cram it, butter buns." Dante opened the passenger side door.

"Dante!" Ayame ran up to him. "Please, be careful."

"Yeah, yeah." The man replied flatly.

A minute later, Ayame watched as the car sped off, turned a corner, and disappeared from view.

She stole a quick glance to where she saw the figure.

"Gentleman." She thought bitterly. "I know you'll try to play your sick games on us, but I will never show you were the jewel is hidden."

_Downtown-5 miles from the Devil May Cry_

_United States_

_Tuesday-10:22 p.m._

The city mingled with people in the clogged streets of the city center. High above them loomed the numerous skyscrapers that were devoid of life, save for a purple blur that raced across the skyline at speeds thought impossible for mere humans.

Ayane leaped from building to building with the grace and skill that only a lifetime of training could ever hope to achieve. Her body moved, but her mind was stagnant.

When dawn broke, she slipped out of the _Devil May Cry_ after spending the prior day isolated in her room. She needed to clear her head and fresh air sounded like the perfect way to do so. That is if she could call the smog that choked the city streets fresh air, which made the rooftops a better choice. Besides she wanted to be alone.

She could not believe how she had been acting recently. Her emotional outbursts had become uncontrollable, erratic, overpowering, and worst of all, embarrassing. She became disgusted with herself when she tried to seduce Dante. It was like she was no longer in control of herself.

"Why? Why is this happening now of all times?" She thought as she sailed through the air to the next building. "I always had myself held together."

With a nimble landing, the violet-haired shinobi gazed at the skyline filled with the illuminated buildings she had come across during her trek across the city. A slight breeze caught her…

…a breeze that suddenly became freezing.

The temperature plummeted. She shivered and crossed her arms, trying to contain her body heat. Her breath became visible and ice began to build up on the rooftop. Snow violently whipped around her, turning the pleasant air bitter cold. What perplexed her was not only the sudden change in climate, but that the snow and ice had a greenish tint.

"Greetings, child." A gruff voice called out. "I've been waiting a long time to see you again."

Like the air, Ayane's blood ran cold as she recognized the voice. "Oh, Kami." She thought. "Not him. Anyone but him."

A figure materialized out of nothingness. The being was a middle-aged Japanese man, clad in a tattered, emerald-hued ninja robe. His skin was a sickly grayish-white, a thick mustache wrapped around his withered face. His eyes shinned with a piercing green. The ice and snow encircled him.

Ayane's amazement receded enough to allow her to force her body into a defensive stance. "You," She spat, "are supposed to be dead."

"Oh, I was, child, I was." The figure took a step forward, Ayane took a step back. "But I've been given life anew."

The freezing winds whipped at her body, going through her clothes like she was not wearing them. She gritted her teeth, trying to control her body's shivering while attempting to appear intimidating.

"Let me guess, you've sold yourself to Dante's brother for power." She haughtily spoke.

A smug look spread on the demon's old face. "Sold? Ha! Vergil gave me this power when I meet him in hell." He examined his forearms and hands that bristled with unnatural power. "All I have to do is get these little trinkets for him, and I'll continue my quest for ultimate power."

"That doesn't surprise me." The callousness in her voice was as cold as the air around her. "You were a monster then, and you're a monster now. The only difference now is that it's official." She shook her head in disappointment. "And your 'quest for power'? Please. All this does is show how pathetic you truly are."

The demon growled in anger. But quickly contained his emotion and returned the smirk to his face. "By the way, how's your mother been?"

Ayane's heart skipped a beat. Every muscle in her body tightened.

"Would you give her my best regards?" He licked his lips. "On second thought, maybe I'll go see her myself."

"How…dare…" Ayane's voice trembled with overwhelming rage. Everything else in her sight disappeared, leaving only the monstrosity that stood in front of her. In one fluid motion, she crossed her arms over her chest, kunais in-between her fingers, ready to throw. "HOW DARE YOU, YOU FUCKING PIECE OF…!"

The demon brought up his arm and squeezed his hand into a fist.

Ayane's body jerked, her arms flew down to her sides, dropping the kunai. Her head snapped up, her eyes wild with fear. A multidute of emotions raged through her body all at once. Fear, love, anger, hate, lust, jealousy, and many others overfilled her senses, causing her body to lock up, she could not move. She could not breathe.

The demon relaxed his hand. The kunoichi fell to the ground, gasping for air.

"Wh…what…what was…" She wheezed. "What…did you…do to me?"

A low chuckle rumbled in the demon's throat. "A little trick I picked up during my time in the demon world." He walked toward the fallen teenager. "It was used long ago by demons. Sometimes they mated with a human, usually out of boredom or lust. When the offspring was born, it wasn't uncommon for the child to feel…angry at their demon father or mother."

He knelt down in front of her as he continued. "Why, you may ask? Well, most of the time the human parent was usually…coerced into mating. Thus, the resentment went from mortal parent, to half-breed child. In order to keep their bastard children in check, they placed a spell of sorts on them. Not quite a curse, not quite a possession, but something in-between. It only works on those who share the same blood. In short, it'll work on you, but not on your siblings."

The demon let out a sigh. "A shame too, I was so looking forward to watching that little bitch sister of your's fall to her knees. Guess I'll have to make her do that the old fashion way."

He seized her by the chin, forcing her to look at him. "This little ability is really quite entertaining. At first, all I could do was whisper things in your head. Little suggestions, a different view about what you were thinking. But now, I can make you feel anyway I want you too." He moved his face closer and dropped his voice to a whisper. "Did you like being with Dante? I was hoping you would quench your desires with him. How about someone else? Ryu, perhaps? Or maybe your precious big broth…"

Ayane interrupted the maniacal demon when she spat in his face. The saliva froze before it hit his cheek, breaking apart like ice.

Raidou gave a short bark of laughter. "Defiant to the end." He grasped her by the throat and hoisted her into the air. "Just like your mother."

He launched her into a protruding vent shaft. She bounced off the metal and landed in an undignified heap.

"Remember this, brat!" Raidou roared. "You belong to me now!"

The coldness vanished, as did the one who created it.

Ayane remained on the ground.

"So…" she whispered. "I'm just a puppet now? A plaything?"

Disgust drenched her soul. She had become an amusement to a vile and sick man. No. A vile and sick demon, which had whored whatever shred of humanity left in him for power. Was she lower than that? Lower than a being that was a mockery of the Mugen Tenshin clan, an embarrassment to her family? Had she become something sub-human? A pet?

"No." She spoke, pushing herself off the ground. "I will not go down that road again."

She stood uneasily on her two legs. "Kasumi may have killed you when you were human. But this time…" She raised her head, her eyes filled with the same cold hate she had kept for her sister.

"I will send you back to hell."

_The Devil's Library_

_Herein lies the bestiary of the demons in this tale so far_

Raidou-An outcast ninja of the Mugen Tenshin Clan. Revived from the dead and made a complete demon, Raidou has been infused with the demonic elemental power of the Emerald Ice. Still obsessed with obtaining power, his arrogance blinds him to the fact that Vergil is his master.


	15. the devil went to texas

A/N: A million apologies to my readers. This month has been hell. Moving (again), Springbreak, and worst of all, Midterms (shudders). But anywho, here's the latest chap. And just some FYI, the new Devil May Cry 4 is coming out on the PC and the 360. Did not see that coming!

Disclaimer: DMC owned by Capcom. DOA and NG owned by Team Ninja and Tecmo. God, I'm sick of repeating this.

Chapter 15: This far, but still so much to go.

**Dead or Alive 4: The Devil Factor**

**Chapter 15: The Devil Went To Texas**

_Christie's Safe House_

_Great Britain_

_Wednesday-1:17 a.m._

Christie fancied herself as a woman of the world. She had been across the world twice over, seen the most splendid sights…as well as things that would sicken a normal person, all thanks to her life as a top assassin. She had encountered many different types of people with very…unusual lives.

But this man…Dante…he was something else.

The problem with Helena's search was that she used legitimate means to find information about him. What the French woman obviously did not factor in was that the man was a mercenary, someone who works outside the realm of law and order. And when someone wanted to find information about an outlaw, she would have to use underground sources.

Her contacts had given her all of the information they could gather on the man

What she found stupefied her. Dante was considered by many in the criminal world as one of the greatest threats.

It was the same story for every city he put his roots in. He would clash against nearly all forms of organized crime that stood against him. Not only was the mere act of opposing them considered either very brave or extremely stupid, but the man would _always_ win. Assassins or entire hit squads that were sent his way were returned either in body casts or body bags. When violence did not work, diplomacy was used, which also always ended in failure. Whether it was money, women, or anything else that was offered to him in exchange for peace, he told them to shove their proposals in a very specific place and be on his merry way.

After a while, the gangs began to ease off. The Russians put a "hands off" order on him. The Italians designated the area he resided in as "The Devil's Doorway". The Chinese Triads labeled him as "The Untamable Dragon". The Columbians dubbed him "The Devil's right hand". Even the Yakuza feared him, telling all of their men to never enter "the realm of the Red Oni".

Those that did not give Dante his space became dust in the wind.

To say that Christie was impressed was an understatement. The picture she got from the information was of an invincible man that did as he pleased, without worry, without consequence.

She had to smile. The man sounded too good to be true. In fact she was pretty sure he was. She had heard about other so-called 'invincible' men. Crime bosses, drug-dealers, mafia heads, all had some sort of 'glorious tale' about their ascension into power. But just like empires, they fell from grace when they became over-confident.

She had a feeling that the white-haired man would be no different.

And for the icing on the cake, he had just been hired by the wealthy daughter of Fame Douglas. No doubt in her little vendetta against DOATEC. Which meant that she had information about Helena's newest 'soldier' that she did not know.

"An advantage?" She whispered.

Her panther that laid next to her on the white, leather couch merely yawned before going back to sleep.

_The Houston Resort_

_United States of America_

_Wednesday-10:22 p.m._

The Houston Resort, despite its rather bland and unoriginal name, was a five-star, high class resort that only the wealthy could hope to afford. It had Olympic-sized out-door and indoor pools, private Jacuzzis, a spa, tennis courts, and rooms that dwarfed and shamed Dante's previous dwellings.

He hated the place the second he saw it. Flashy, high-class stuff always irked him. Rich people were always so full of themselves.

He did not mind his client footing the bill for the place, but the attitude he got from the staff further fueled his annoyance. The snooty, tight-assed receptionist talked to him like he was some bum off the street.

And it was not just the resort that angered him. His employer, whoever he or she was, was leaving him in the dark. He had arrived in Texas, as requested, but had not received any order on what to do next. He would have felt like he was a victim of a joke, if it were not for the five-star pad.

And to top it all off, he had an unannounced 'partner'. Currently in the shower was the eldest of the ninja sisters.

Why Kasumi was not there for his farewell had become apparent when he arrived in Texas. The ninja girl had snuck on the plane and greeted him at the lobby, just like the trip back from Japan. When he asked her why she tagged along without asking, her reply was, "I thought you could use some help."

Help? Him? Ha! He was taking care of himself since he was kid after…after…

He turned over in his bed. He disliked thinking about the past, particularly his.

"Dante…I'm done."

The white-haired man looked behind him. The teenager was dressed in a white tank-top, cut-off jeans, and a towel was wrapped around her head.

"It figures." Dante thought. "I try to get away from it all, and one of them follows me here."

"Is there still no word on what to do next?" Kasumi asked removing the towel and letting her hair flutter down.

"Nope." The demon hunter shrugged. "And I doubt we'll be getting it anytime soon, too."

"Why do you say that?"

"Cause that would mean we could get this over quickly." He muttered in reply. "And that kinda luck I ain't been gettin' lately."

"Hmmm." Kasumi sat down on the bed. Since her arrival was unannounced, he was bumped onto the couch while she claimed the bed. Normally he would not mind, but being in the single bedroom with a girl that wanted to be his wife only added to the pressure he was feeling.

"I know!" The kunoichi exclaimed, bouncing off the bed. "Why don't we go shopping?"

Dante gave her an uncertain look. "I look like the type of guy that hangs around in a mall?"

"But I want to see the city!" Kasumi beamed. "The only time I'm away from Japan is during the tournaments, so I never have time to do any sight seeing." She clasped her hands together. "Please? I want to buy you something."

Dante guffawed. "Oh, really? And what are you gonna get me, scented candles? Besides, I thought you Mugen Ten-whatever ninjas were poor."

Kasumi's face wavered for a brief moment. "I'm not a Mugen Tenshin…anymore." The happiness in her face returned in full force. "I have my own money, so don't worry."

Dante mentally berated himself for forgetting that little detail, especially since it was one of the driving focuses of Kasumi's half-sister.

His thoughts became disturbed when the teen began tugging on his arm. "Come on, I bet I can find something that would look great on you."

Dante wondered if he should stay and let her go out, incase the client made contact. But after realizing that the girl's persistence would not let that happen, he decided that if whoever hired him wanted his services so badly, they could leave a message.

With a sigh, he allowed the girl to lift him off the bed. "Alright, fine. But the second you want me to try on anything plaid or paisley, I'm gone, ya hear?"

Kasumi giggled. But on the inside, she felt bitter about herself. Dante was a friend, perhaps a good friend, but loving him as a husband was something she could not say she was prepared to do. Her mother informed her that arranged marriages were usually difficult, but love could still bloom.

"Go slow, little one." Her mother said. "Sometimes we fall in love instantly. Sometimes it takes time. But I know that it can happen with him."

"A date," she had suggested. "A chance to get to know him, and him to know you. You'll see, he's a good man."

"I'll try, mother." She thought. "I'll try."

_Lei Mansion_

_China_

_Wednesday-12:03 p.m._

"Ok! Dig in everyone!" Lei Fang announced, raising her chopsticks high into the air.

Ryu looked over the elaborately arranged Chinese-style cuisine the covered the table, which he thought was a bit more extravagant than a simple lunch needed to be. In fact, everything in the mansion almost screamed 'wealthy'. A mixture of culture and modernization was what he beheld the instant he set foot inside Lei Fang's home. Chinese paintings, sculptures, and other art pieces filled the walls and tables, sharing room with plasma screen televisions, leather furniture and electronic devices whose function he had not quite deduced.

Living in the deep forests of Japan made the young man somewhat ignorant of the latest gadgets of the modern world.

Jann Lee whistled in amazement. "Wow, quite the spread ya got here. I haven't seen food this fancy, since I was a bodyguard for some wealthy old fart."

"I made sure that the cooks made them as healthy as they could." She pointed her chopsticks at Jann Lee. "I want you to be at your best so when I finally cream you, you won't have any excuses."

The Jeet Kune Do master laughed. "If that ever happens, somebody better pinch ya, 'cause you're dreamin'!"

Lei Fang merely flashed a confident smirk before turning her attention elsewhere. "So, Mr. Hayabusa, tell me, what exactly are these…'demons' we're fighting?"

Both men paused. It seemed that Lei Fang actually accepted Ryu's story as truth. He was sure she did not believe him as she merely smiled the entire time he informed her of what had happened and what Hayate and himself were attempting to do. Apparently she did take him seriously.

"Do these demons…do they…?" Lei Fang attempted to hold back her chuckle. "Do they have little bat wings and pitch forks?" She could no longer contain her amusement and burst into laughter.

"Yeah, I was thinkin' more along the lines of some Yaoguai, you know, like a fox spirit or sumthin'!" Jann Lee joined in, spiting out half-chewed rice as he laughed. "Wouldn't that be cute?"

The two were so enthralled in their jokes that neither could hear Ryu's groan.

"Really, Ryu." Lei Fang finally managed to say after calming down. "Did you really expect me to believe that?"

"No offense, bud." Jann Lee said, wiping his mouth. "But I still don't believe in demons or ghosts or monsters or whatever fairy tale there is out there." He began to resume his meal. "I mean, I would believe you if we were talking about some gang or terrorist-cell-thing, but _demons_? Even a kid wouldn't believe ya."

"I usually don't say this, but Jann Lee's right." Lei Fang put her head in her hand and looked at the super ninja with an almost-sympathetic look. "I really wish you'd tell us the truth."

Ryu did his best to suppress his disappointment. "Whether you believe me or not is irrelevant, what I told you is the truth."

The college student sighed. "All right, fine." She picked at her food. "Whenever you're ready to tell us what's _really_ going on, we'll be here."

Ryu ignored the fact that Lei-Fang just talked to him like he was a child and began to fill his plate. They did not believe him now, but they would when they faced the adversary.

He just hoped that they would be ready for it.

--

"Poor, little ninja boy." The demoness cooed. "Your friends don't believe you."

She studied her nails that had grown into feline-like claws. "Maybe if we meet, I can change the cute couples' mind, yes?"

The black mist that swarmed around her branched out and began to take the shapes of lion-sized beasts. Their heads and front legs were encased in large, ornate, silver armor. Their tails sported curved blades at the ends. A faint trail of black mist wisped behind them as they moved.

The demoness reached out and stroked one of the beast's dark fur. "I think we should set-up a play date with them, don't you think?"

The demoness light-hearted giggling was in stark contrast to the feral grin on her face.

_Shore-Side Mall_

_United States of America_

_Wednesday-12:44 p.m._

Kasumi marveled at the ocean from the pier of the _Shore-Side Mall_. The appropriately named shopping district was located near the beach with its cafes and restaurants situated on a pier that overlooked the endless waters.

"It's been too long since I could take a vacation like this." Kasumi thought. "I feel a little guilty about taking one now with everything that's happening though."

She jumped as a tray was thrown onto the table she was sitting at. The tray held a plate with several slices of pizza, a small salad, and two drinks.

"They didn't have any tea, so I got you a Sprite." Dante sat down across from his 'date'. "Hope you don't mind."

"That's fine." Kasumi retrieved the salad and a plastic fork. "Thank you for lunch."

"No problem." Dante chomped on a slice of pizza. "I still can't believe you wanted me to wear a suit."

"I think it would look good on you." Kasumi's smile relaxed as she examined Dante scarfing down his second slice of pizza. "Dante…may I ask…just how much pizza do you usually eat?"

Dante shrugged. "I dunno, every day, every other day, I really don't keep track." He shot the teen a quick glance. "Why you ask?"

Kasumi sighed. Her mother was right. The man had poor culinary skills and appeared either ignorant or, more likely, unconcerned about nutrition, evident by the sad mockery that was his kitchen before she got her hands on it. How he managed to live off of so much pizza for so long astounded her.

"That is simply unacceptable." The kunoichi spoke informatively. "You need to eat more varieties of food. It isn't healthy to eat just pizza."

The demon hunter paused, his last slice almost to his mouth. He stared at the girl for an uncomfortable amount of time. "You're beginning to act more like your mother, you know that?"

"I'm simply pointing out a fact." Kasumi poured some dressing on her salad.

"I'll keep that in mind." Dante muttered.

The conversation lapsed into silence. Kasumi fidgeted with her salad, unsure of what to say next. She had grown accustomed to remaining silent around her school friends, only speaking when spoken to. It would appear that she could not fall back into that habit if she wanted to connect with Dante.

"It's funny, isn't it?"

Kasumi blinked in surprise. "What?"

"All of this." He spread his arms out. "We're smack dab in the middle of some grandiose plot my brother and that dickhead Donovan has concocted. We don't know what they're after, what they're doing, and worst of all, not one fucking clue as to where they are." He sank into his seat, gazing into the sky. "And here we are, eating shitty fast-food at a mall in Houston like some stupid, punk kids."

The auburn-haired teen could easily feel the dispirited tone in his voice. She had to say something.

"I don't know what's going on either. But…I think…no, I know that in the end, it'll be alright."

Kasumi knew that she was basing her assumption on absolutely nothing and she had a feeling that Dante would no doubt have a quick retort to her statement, but she had to be positive. Being positive was what kept her from giving up, from accepting death as her only means of escape.

"Maybe." Dante's voice was uncharacteristically soft. "All I know is that, whatever he's planning, it's gonna be big. His plans always are." He sighed. "But I know the end result already."

Seeing the bafflement in the teen's face, he elaborated. "Power. That's all he ever wanted. All he ever went after. And I'm willing to bet my left nut that that's what he's going for."

A snicker came from him. "And as always, I have to put the brakes on his scheme. It's like a broken record. He starts shit, and I have to beat him down."

The silence returned, only thicker, as neither knew what to say that would not sound awkward or out of place.

Kasumi, hating such silences, finally decided to simply change the subject. "I saw a clothes store that looks nice. Do you want to go?"

Dante knew what the teen was up too, but in all honesty, he welcomed the shift in conversation. "Sure, why not?"

Within minutes, the two stood in front of the clothing store, obviously a popular one as evident by how packed the place seemed. Upon stepping through the entrance, he quickly realized that the shop was geared to, and favored by, the female species. Dresses, skirts, blouses, and other feminine style clothes filled the racks and a rainbow of colors assaulted his senses.

Definitely out of his element, Dante simply stood with his arms folded, only moving when Kasumi moved to another part of the store. Time seemed to crawl and he experienced a level of boredom he had never reached before. He had to escape.

"I gotta use the can. I'll be back." He used the oldest excuse in the book, but if it got him out of there…

"Ok." Kasumi said, holding up a baby blue shirt. "But hurry back, I want to know what you think of some of these."

Dante made a beeline for the exit. He emerged into the outside world and took a breath of sweet, natural air. Right now the only thing he liked about the mall was that it was not enclosed in a large building, but instead it was open to the surrounding environment. A warm breeze rushed through the mall.

"That's much better." He thought. "Another minute in there and I woulda gagged on all that perfume."

He began to look around, wondering if he should have just stayed at the resort. Streams of people passed by, pointless small talk and bad music filled his ears, all of it reminding him why he hated malls.

He would never fit in at 'normal' places, such as this.

He was about to sit down when something caught his eye. A poster hung behind a window of a novelty shop. A beautiful, young blonde woman adored the poster. She wore a rather skimpy thong bathing suit and had both arms behind her head in a sexy pose. Her name was written in cursive letters in the corner, Tina, with a heart dotting the I.

"Not bad looking." He admitted. "But where have I heard that name before?"

Suddenly, a man flew through the glass door of the shop. He scrambled away from the entrance with absolute terror on his face.

Everyone stopped where they were to behold the spectacle.

A man with the build of a tank emerged from the store, steam shooting out of his ears. His get-up consisted of a black leather vest and chaps with blue jeans and a white T-shirt. His long, blonde hair almost touched his shoulders. A pair of metal sunglasses obscured his eyes and a black bandana covered the top of his head. He jabbed a meaty finger at the man currently cowering before him.

"An' where d'ya think _yer_ goin', maggot?!" A thick Texas accent choked the large man's words.

The second man stuttered with fright. "I,I,I'm sorry, Mr. Armstrong…b,b,but I'm just an employee, I'm not responsible for…"

"Responsible for what?! THIS?!" The large man unfurled a poster that he held. The same blonde woman was on it, only this time, she wore no swim suit. One arm was over her large breasts, her other hand going through her hair. She had turned herself sideways to keep her lower area from showing. She was making a kissy face and winking at the camera.

"Ya got some nerve, selling these here dirty pictures of my sweet, lil' girl." Mr. Armstrong roared. "I otta break ya in ta little pieces and fertilize my lawn with ya." He then ripped the poster in half and tossed it to the ground in disgust.

Mr. Armstrong never heard the collective groans and disappointed murmurs of the men nearby when he destroyed the poster.

"That's his daughter?" Dante thought. "Wait…Mr. _Armstrong_? Tina? Then that must mean he's…Bass? The pro-wrestler guy?"

No wonder the woman seemed familiar. _Everyone_ knew about the Armstrong family, the top dogs in the professional wrestling circuit. Bass was the current undefeated champion of D.W.A, the DOATEC Wrestling Association. Tina, who conquered the women's division, had become a household name with her modeling, singing, and movie career. Dante snickered. It appeared that Bass was not too pleased with his daughter using her looks to heighten her fame.

"Mr. Armstrong, please!" The clerk said waving his arms in front of him. "I don't run this store, I just work here, if you want you can talk to the manager when he gets in, but until then, there's nothing I can do!"

Bass loomed over the small man, his hands clenched into tight fists. Sure he could beat the man into a pulp, but as he pointed out, that would not solve the problem.

The way his daughter was acting drove him on the brink of madness. Flaunting her beauty around like some floozy, it broke his heart. He was glad her mother was not around to see this.

He needed to blow off some steam. A good, old fashion throw down always did the trick. But, damn it, his wrestling matches were not until tonight. His teeth gnashing against each other were becoming audible.

He saw red. No. He saw a red coat.

He focused his attention to a white haired man with a small smirk on his face.

"An' what are _you_ smilin' 'bout, boy?" Bass asked menacingly.

Dante remained collected as the large Texan towered over him. Bass sure was big, but he was not about to let himself be intimidated.

"Nothin'." Dante shrugged. "Just wonderin' how an ugly guy like you could be the daddy of some hottie like…"

The crowd gasped as Dante fell into the wall behind him, blood oozing down his face.

"That shut yer trap, didn't it boy?" Bass sneered. "I'm surprised yer head didn't crack open."

Dante coughed a laugh. "A headbutt? Now that's just dirty." He pushed himself off the wall and waltzed up to the 'bad boy of wrestling'.

"That was jus' a love tap compared ta what I usually dish out, but if yer gonna cry about it…" The bearded man grinned and pointed to his chin. "I'll give ya a freebie ta even things out. C'mon, boy, gimme yer best shot!"

"Ok." Dante said, returning the grin

A heartbeat passed.

Dante lashed out and struck Bass square in the jaw. The large man somersaulted in the air and smashed into a vending machine. Candy bars and potato chip bags rained upon the tile floor.

"Unlike you, pops, I don't hold back for nobody." Dante cracked his knuckles.

Bass staggered to his feet and rubbed his throbbing jaw. The grin was still on his lips. "Not bad, son, not bad at all."

"Now I'm surprised." Dante joked. "The guys I hit like that eat their meals through straws for a few months."

Bass looked at the white-haired man for a moment before busting out in laughter. "Now that's what I like ta hear! It's been 'while since I met someone outside the tournaments who can talk big _and_ back it up!" He stood to his full height. "You an' me, boy, we're gonna have a match, right here, right now!"

Dante cocked an eyebrow. This guy obviously had one too many blows to the head.

"Look pops, why don't we call it good and go our separate ways? There's a girl I hafta meet back at WHOA!"

Dante barely managed to avoid the large fist aimed right for his head. He retreated further as Bass pressed on, unleashing blow after blow. His space ran out when his back hit the same wall he crashed into earlier.

"I gotcha, boy!" Bass bellowed, throwing his entire weight into his next punch.

The demon hunter felt the strike brush past him as he sidestepped away. Dante rolled off the wall and turned himself to his self-appointed opponent. Amazement etched his face when he noticed that Bass's arm was halfway in the wall. Demon blood or no demon blood, had Dante not moved away, his head would have burst like a water balloon with that hit.

"So he is serious." Dante thought. "Damn. And I thought that wrestling garbage you see on the tube was faked."

Bass whipped his arm out, sending fragments of what was once solid concrete into the air. "Yer quick, boy. I'll give ya that."

The crowd around them began to talk.

"Dude, check it out! Some dumbass's fightin' Bass!"

"That guy has to be retarded or sumthin' to go against him!"

"Kick his ass, Bass!"

The rest became jumbled as Dante began to tune them out.

"Not to hard to guess who the crowd favorite is." Dante thought. "Oh well, not like I got a fan club back home, either."

Bass slapped his biceps. "Petal to the metal!"

The crowd, of course, roared with delight. They were eating it all up.

With a battle cry, Bass charged at Dante. The white-haired man could swear it sounded like stampede was heading right at him. He rolled out of the way before he was steam-rolled by Bass. A decorative tree that was unfortunate enough to be in the wrestler's path became splinters.

"Damn!" Dante thought. "This guy fights like a bulldozer!"

Bass slid to a stop, turned around, and charged again. Dante sidestepped…only to be caught by the man's outstretched arm, a clothesline move. Dante flipped and landed with a thud.

Before the fallen hunter could tell his body to move, two huge hands grasp the sides of his head, yanked him up to his feet, and roughly shoved him away.

"On yer FEET, boy!" The Texan yelled. "We ain't done yet!"

--

Tina let out a sigh and tossed her hair. What a disappointing day. She had visited five malls and not one store had the new 'blazing fire' red lipstick. Even with her perks as a superstar, she could not get ahold of the hottest cosmetic this season.

"To bad, too." She thought. "It woulda went great wit' some of my outfits."

Thinking about where she should try next, she noticed a large crowd that had gathered near the mall's most popular clothing store. Certain voices began to pierce the buzz that hovered around the gathering.

"Dude, check it out! Some dumbass's fightin' Bass!"

"That guy has to be retarded or sumthin' to go against him!"

"Kick his ass, Bass!"

Tina rolled her eyes. "Dammit Daddy, why can't ya be civil when yer out in public?"

Deciding to see what her over-protective father was up too, she shoved her way through the crowd. People were too enthralled with the fight to notice the multi-talented woman.

Tina finally managed to see her father and a young man in a red coat duking it out in the middle of the mall.

She began to fume at the sight of her own parent acting in such a brutish manner in front of so many people. No doubt this would hit the news and the tabloids. It would be quite a mess to clean up.

She pushed forward, hoping to put a stop to the fight before the other man got hurt and…

Tina paused when the man broke free of Bass's attempted German Suplex with an elbow to his face. He then unleashed a short barrage of punches followed by a right hook that sent the wrestler to the ground.

Of course her father was on his feet in an instant, but still…was it her imagination, or was this stranger actually holding his own? How? The man was a twig compared to the opponents Bass usually fought in the ring. The only other people who were on the same level as him were herself and the other DOA tournament members and she did not remember seeing him there.

So who the hell is he?

"White hair?" She noticed. "Don't see that kinduv hair color 'round here. Is it dyed?" She had wondered the exact same thing when she first met the British woman and the drunkard Chinese man.

Despite these random thoughts, she watched the battle between the two men closely.

Dante launched his foot at Bass's stomach, but the wrestler countered with a vice grip on the demon hunter's leg. With one swift motion, Bass yanked Dante off his feet and began to swing him around like a sack of potatoes, making him completely at the mercy of the infuriated Texan.

Mercy was not something Bass was known for. He released his grip and Dante plunged into the window of the same store where Bass had his 'disagreement' with the clerk.

Glass showered the inside of the store. The sound of shelves falling over and a variety of merchandise breaking filled the ears of all present.

The clerk let out a moan. "Oh, man. My boss's gonna _kill_ me!"

Tina shook her head. "Nice one, daddy. Now yer tossin' guys inta windows." She reached into her purse for her cellphone to call an ambulance. "If we're lucky, jus' _maybe_ the guy won' sue us."

The female wrestler dropped her phone back into her purse at what she saw next. The man leaped through the broken window without so much as a scratch on him. That was impossible. He was just thrown into a store full of breakables. He could have been cut to ribbons.

"I hope you brought your wallet, pops." Dante said, brushing the lose glass fragments from his coat. "Cause I ain't payin' for that."

Bass blinked in amazement. He expected the white-haired loudmouth to be covered in cuts and blood. He quickly regained his wits. "Yer a tough sonuvabitch, ain'cha boy?"

Dante readied himself as Bass prepared for another assault.

"STOP!"

A lone voice broke through the clamoring of the crowd, along with a young girl that raced in-between the two men.

"Stop it, both of you!" Kasumi pleaded. "You're acting like children!"

The crowd fell into a hush, amazed that such a petite girl could stand up to the hulking Bass and his mysterious opponent that seemed unsusceptible to harm.

Bass, on the other hand, barely noticed her, as his attention was focused on his opponent. "Outta the way, girl! This here's a fight between _men_!"

Kasumi gave a stern look to the professional wrestler and remembered something her mother once told her. A man's pride might cause him to get into fights, but it can also be used to make him stop. "Mr. Armstrong, I would have expected more self control from a man of your age."

Bass stewed with his frustration for a moment before heaving a sigh. As much as he hated to admit it, the girl had a point.

"All right, y'all" He spoke to the crowd. "Show's over."

The crowd remained, still absorbed in what was unfolding.

"I SAID GIT OUTTA HERE!" The blonde-man roared.

With a jump, the bystanders quickly dispersed. They heard enough stories about Bass and his temper to know when to give him his space.

Relieved, Kasumi turned to Dante. "Going to the bathroom, were you?"

Dante shrugged. "Got sidetracked."

Kasumi shook her head. Mother was right about another thing, some men were far too aggressive for their own good.

A large shadow fell over the teen, she spun around to see Bass looming over her and Dante. The wrestler had a serious look etched in his face and his large arms were folded over his chest.

Worried, Kasumi positioned herself in front of Dante, not so much as to protect him, but to keep a second brawl from occurring.

It came as a shock when Bass threw back his head with a hearty laugh.

A large hand was thrust into Dante's face. "Put'er there, boy!"

The devil slayer gave a skeptical look to Bass, his outstretched paw, and then to an equally baffled Kasumi.

"Oh, what the hell." Dante decided and cautiously took Bass's offering hand.

The mercenary almost yelped when his hand was seized in a death grip by the older man and pumped mercilessly.

"I gotta hand it to ya, boy. I've faced off against alotta guys in my life, but _yer_ the first one ta walk away without so much as a black eye! You earned my respect!"

"Yeah." Dante replied while pulling his arm back before his new friend shook it out of its socket. "Right back atcha."

Bass laughed again, and finally took notice of the girl that broke up the fight. "Hey, I know you. Yer that Japanese girl from the tournaments. What was yer name again, Kasumi?"

"Yes." Kasumi spoke, relieved that she had put an end to the senseless violence. "How have you been, Mr. Armstrong?"

"Well I'll be, a youngin' that's actually polite! I thought those days were long gone." Bass joked. "I'm doin' fine. Course I might be better if you could teach my daughter to be as well-behaved as you!" Another interlude of laughter followed. "Say, is this fella with ya?"

"This is Dante." She introduced. "He's a…family friend."

"Really?" Bass sounded intrigued. "Say, ya'all wouldn' happen ta be on a date or anythin'?"

Kasumi flustered and stared at the ground. "Uh…I guess you could…Um…"

Dante was at a loss for words himself. "Is this a date? She didn't tell me. Well not exactly." He thought.

"Damnation!" Bass slapped his hand over his eyes. "My apologies, little missy. Guess I sorta ruined it for ya."

"It's ok." Kasumi reassured. "I'm just glad no one got hurt."

"No, no, no." Bass pressed on. "I screwed up royal and I need ta make it up to ya'll." He placed a finger on his temple as he tried to brainstorm. "I know! I'll take ya'll out ta eat, on me!"

"That's quite alright, Mr. Armstrong." Kasumi said. "We just ate."

"Oh really?" Bass asked. "What did ya'all have?"

"I had some pizza and little miss sunshine here had a salad." Dante flatly replied, seemingly bored with the conversation.

"A SALAD!" Bass looked like he was on the verge of a heart attack. "Missy, that ain't food, that's food _for_ food!"

In one swift movement, Bass placed his muscular arms around the two. "C'mon! I know uva steak house that'll blow ya away!"

Tina watched with amusement as her father lead, or perhaps the correct word was dragged, his two new friends away, ignoring Kasumi's reluctant talk with his in-depth description of the food at his favorite restaurant. The other man looked a little irritated by Bass's arm around the shoulder, but did nothing to remove it.

The blonde star smiled. "That lil' Japanese girl sure has guts. But then again, she always did." She remembered how many opponents had underestimated the kunoichi. Her small frame belied her true strength, both physical and spiritual.

And the man with white hair was definitely no rookie in fighting either. He even seemed to have impressed her father too, something that very few had managed to accomplish.

"I wondar who that fella is?" She thought.

Before she could go further, her digital watched beeped.

"Dammit!" Tina cursed. "I only gots time t' go t' one more mall before I have t' git ready for my matches tonight!"

She fumed back to her red sports car, the fight in the mall already gone from her mind.

_Helena's suite_

_France_

_Wednesday-2:23 p.m._

With a groan, Helena rolled off the sofa to answer her cell phone.

"Figures." She bitterly thought. "The first time I can actually take a nap and people decide to just call me out of the blue."

She snatched the phone from her desk.

"What?" She spat.

"Miss Douglass." A serious tone came from the other end. "I have something to report about 'target red'."

The French woman quickly sobered. "Again? But you just reported his arrival almost three hours ago."

"I know." The man spoke. "At around twelve hundred hours, the target had entered a shopping mall with a young Asian girl. Later on, the target encountered Bass." The man took a breath. "Needless to say, Bass was definitely not in a friendly mood."

"No kidding." Helena rolled her eyes. "The man has more mood swings than I do."

"At any rate." The man continued. "The target and Bass engaged in combat."

Combat? Dante must have said or done something to attract Bass anger. But that was good. A fight was what she wanted to happen.

"How did our target fare? Who won?" She casually asked.

"Neither, really. The Asian female intervened and ended the fight before a victor could be determined." The man's tone changed into a perplexed one. "But afterwards, it appeared that the three exchanged words and then…left together."

"Together?" She furrowed her brow. "Where did they go?"

"A…steak house…I believe." The man sounded unsure.

"A steak house?" Helena repeated. "Do you mean to tell me that Dante and Bass are…friends now?"

The man hesitated. "Uh…I'm not real sure about that, but they did seem less hostile."

That was just perfect. She had planned on Dante fighting _all_ of the professional wrestlers. But if he had befriended Bass, then the chances of him of finishing their battle had plummeted, especially if there was someone acting as a peacekeeper between the…

"Wait." She said as soon as the thought hit her. "The Asian girl. Did you I.D. her?"

"I'm not hundred percent sure, but the girl is probably Kasumi."

Helena's stomach sank. The Mugen Tenshin Ninjas. Did they manage to obtain Dante's loyalty? She bit her thumbnail. No, Kasumi had no affiliation to her clan since the first tournament. Then did she purchase him? That was doubtful, considering her pacifist nature. Then what?

The man spoke again "I was unable to make a video surveillance myself, but during the fight, the target was thrown into a store. I have procured security camera footage from inside the store."

"Very good. Send it to me immediately."

"Understood." The man hung up.

The French Soprano took some time to absorb the new information. When Dante arrived in Houston, she was counting on Dante finding and fighting Bass and the others on his own. There was always some sort of connection between the Dead or Alive participants that allowed them to find each other during the tournaments. Whether it was a fighter's intuition or something else, she did not know, but it was definitely there, for she had felt it too. If Dante had it as well, then that would explain how he managed to confront Bass all on his own.

Either that or he was extremely unlucky.

Of course, now Kasumi had entered into her little production, unannounced and certainly unwelcomed. The youth's idealistic views and naivety almost sickened her. She needed to learn that the world is in shades of gray, not black and white.

No matter, she and her ninja ilk could keep going on their little crusade of justice and honor and whatever. Their role in her plans had already come and gone. They destroyed the Tritower for her and crippled DOATEC.

That was all she needed of them.

"So, how to deal with the little girl?" She pondered aloud. "If she had obtained Dante's services as a mercenary, perhaps I could entice him with more money." She gave a small laugh. "That shouldn't be too difficult considering…"

Her laptop played a small musical note from her favorite opera. She had just received an e-mail.

She quickly seated herself and tapped the keyboard. Her agent had just sent her the footage. She downloaded the file and pressed the mouse pad twice to play.

The quality of the footage was grainy and jerky. Obviously the store used a poor-quality camera. It was a pity that she could not have seen the actual fight, but this video would have to do.

There were a couple people lingering about the store. Not what she wanted. She fast-forwarded a bit, but resumed when a large man entered the store. Bass. He strolled about the store, browsing. The wrestler paused in front of a wall full of posters. She could not see the poster in question clearly enough, but it looked like a nude woman. She speculated that it had to be his daughter, Tina by his next course of action. He ripped the poster off the wall, marched over to the clerk, and began yelling. There was no sound, but judging by the color change in Bass's face, she had a pretty good idea at the general idea he was trying to convey. The clerk backed away, holding his hands up in a show of defenselessness. Her eyes blinked in surprise when Bass reached over the counter, grabbed the terrified man by the lapels, and yanked him off his feet. This caused the remaining customers to leave the store in a rush.

The silent conversation continued with Bass holding the man in the air, making threatening gestures. The clerk's response did not seem to please the Texan as he launched the man through the glass door, then steeping out himself.

Helena fast-forwarded again. About six minutes afterwards, another man smashed through the store's front window. Dante. He crashed into shelves, causing a few to topple on him. She let out a sympathetic hiss. That must have hurt.

A moment passed. One of the shelves was pushed off and Dante stood with a large gash on his forehead.

Helena's mouth went dry at what happened next.

It was hard to tell due to the low-quality footage, but the wound seemed to close itself shut. Dante wiped away the blood and leaped back out the way he came.

She backed the video to Dante's entrance and played it again to make sure she was not seeing things. Once again, his cut healed in seconds.

"Th…that's impossible." Her breath was just a whisper.

She replayed the video over ten times, each with the same outcome. Thousands of questions raged inside her head. How did he do that? Was it some type of power or martial arts technique? Could he be killed at all? Is he human or one of DOATEC's bio-weapons?

Or was he a demon?

She giggled at that thought. "Now I must know who you are."


	16. the jewel of the forgotten

A/N: Wow! Three months have gone by! But with a good reason. Being laid out with a stomach infection definitely makes writing difficult. But at any rate, here's the next chap!

Disclaimer: DMC owned by Capcom. DOA and NG owned by Tecmo and Team Ninja. And so forth.

Chapter 16. A tip of the hat to my fans for waiting.

**Dead or Alive: The Devil Factor**

**Chapter 16: The Jewel of the Forgotten**

_Gen Fu's Temple_

_China_

_Wednesday-2:36 p.m._

The temple and dojo of the "Legendary Fatal Iron Fist" was built centuries ago. Constructed by some of China's finest architects, it has been passed down Gen Fu's family and used to train others in the ways of Xynyi Liuhe Quan. In ancient times, the temple was filled with many promising students who had flocked from all corners of the country to study and hone their skills. But now, the halls have fallen silent and the hundreds of martial artists that were deemed worthy to train on the hallowed ground have shrunk to a lone student.

And walking down the hallways was the very same lone student.

His white and blue martial arts robes swayed as he moved through the ancient buildings. His steps were quick and precise. His eyes darted back and forth, scanning the corridors.

"Where?" He thought. "Where are you?"

He paused as a large, oriental vase caught his eye. A victorious smirk spread across his face.

"You're a tricky one." He silently crept closer. "But I've got you now."

His arms shoot out and reached behind the vase. A shriek of laughter pierced the air as he tickled the body behind it.

"I give up!" The giggling voice declared. "I give up!"

A very young Chinese girl, barely ten, emerged from her hiding place. She was dressed in traditional violet child's clothes and her hair done in a double bun style with white, silk brocade covers.

"No fair!" She pouted. "You always find me, but I never find you!"

Eliot laughed. "I wouldn't be much of a martial artist if I couldn't win a game of hide and seek with a little girl."

Mei Lin puffed her cheeks. "Oh, yeah?! Well…well then _I'll_ be a martial artist too. Then I'll show you!"

"Really?" Eliot leaned forward. "Well, I'd better enjoy this while I can then!"

He lunged at the child and began another tickling session. The girl squealed with delight and only made a half-hearted attempt to escape. After a while, she finally broke free and raced off.

"You can't catch me!" Mei Lin sang.

Eliot smiled and took off in close pursuit. The chase could have been over in an instant, but the apprentice decided it would be more fun to draw it out.

After a few minutes, Mei Lin began to tire in front of the temple's entrance. That was Eliot's cue. He picked up speed and scooped up the girl.

"Too slow!" He bragged and continued his tickling. Mei Lin lost herself with laughter.

When she was sick, she had only her parents and grandfather. After her last surgery, she became freed from her bed. She could run and jump and play…but there was no one to share it with. That all changed when a blonde, foreign boy came and asked to be Gen Fu's apprentice. At first, she hated him. Grandpa would spend more time with him than her. But after a while, he wormed his way into her life. He would play with her, listen to her. He had become her best friend.

"Okay." Eliot said. "We'd better go back, your grandfather…"

The British high school boy suddenly found himself in a warm embrace by the child, her tiny arms wrapped around his neck.

"You wanna hear a secret?" She whispered.

"Um…" Eliot was unsure what the girl was up to, but he returned the hug. "Sure."

She lowered her voice even further. "I love you."

The teenager smiled. She sure was affectionate today. "I love you too, Mei Lin."

Her heart fluttered and she snuggled the boy's chest. "And one day…I'm going to marry you."

Eliot's breath got caught in his throat. He was sure he was blushing like crazy since his cheeks felt like they were on fire.

"Well…I…uh." He tried to reply. "I'm…I'm flattered, b…but…"

"Excuse us."

Eliot jumped at the new voice and turned to the temple gate.

Three women stood in front of him. A dark haired woman armed to the teeth with firearms, a blonde wearing a rather revealing leather outfit with a ridiculously large weapon, and in the center of the formation was a dark-skinned woman with very bright red hair in grey and white clothes.

While the beauty and oddity of the women were certain worthy of noticed, what held the apprentice's undivided interest was the weaponry on their person.

Eliot stood and pushed Mei Lin behind him.

"Can I help you ladies?" He asked with a serious look.

"We're sorry for intruding like this." The woman with red hair stepped forward. "My name is Lucia and this is Lady and Rachel. This is the temple of master Gen Fu, is it not?"

Mei Lin was fuming. These strange ladies were interrupting her time with Eliot. They were also not speaking in Chinese, but in Eliot's language. She could not understand a single word, but she did pick up her grandfather's name. This made her even angrier. Now they wanted to take her grandfather's attention too.

"Go away!" Mei Lin yelled from behind Eliot's leg and waving her fist. "Grandpa's busy and Eliot's playing with me, so get lost, you old ladies!"

Eliot turned his head to face the frustrated girl and whispered to her in Chinese. "Mei Lin! Don't be rude!"

The blonde returned his gaze to the newcomers. "This is master Gen Fu's residence. However, he is in meditation right now and does not wish to be disturbed."

Rachel cracked a smile. The boy's British accent and his somewhat effeminate features made him kind of…cute. However, she could tell from his eye's that he was not some helpless youth. He definitely had a warrior's fire burning within him. It was a pity he was not a few years older. Besides, she had her eye on someone else.

"Again, our apologies'." Lucia bowed. "But we must speak with Gen Fu immediately. It is very important."

Eliot squirmed. This was the first time there were actual visitors to the temple. Beautiful _female_ visitors at that. Now that the adrenaline spike of protecting his master's granddaughter had finally left, he now had the ability to fully…appreciate their forms.

Especially the blonde, since her outfit was…

Eliot clenched his teeth. "Bloody puberty." He cursed. "Can't wait until that's over with."

He took a deep breath to regain control. "I will inform master Gen Fu of your request for a meeting. Please follow me."

The three women followed the British teenager as he led the way. Mei Lin walked besides her babysitter, clutching his hand and glaring daggers at the pesky interlopers.

"By the way." Lady asked nonchalantly. "What'd the brat say to us back there?"

"Um…" Eliot fumbled. "She…just…wanted to know who you were. That's all."

The blonde youth cringed at his awkward response. He was always a bad liar.

"Oh really?" Lucia smirked. "I could have sworn she called us 'old ladies'."

Eliot's surprise quickly changed into embarrassment. "You, uh, know Chinese?"

Lucia shrugged. "Chinese, Japanese, Korean, French, German, I know many languages. It comes in handy with my line of work."

"And…what type of work is that?" Eliot asked.

Lucia tipped her head up as she thought of a good response. "I guess you could say…I'm in the extermination business."

Eliot was confused at first. The visitors were well armed enough to start a war, not handle insects. Then a chilling thought hit him. Where they assassins? Ordinarily he would have passed off the idea of sexy female killers as something that only existed in movies or video games. But his encounter with the gorgeous, but frightening Christie changed all that. However, unlike Christie, these women were a bit too…conspicuous, especially with their weaponry.

Eliot held Mei Lin's hand tighter. As his master taught him, he kept his guard up around the three women until he knew for certainty whether they were a threat or not.

"Master Gen Fu will know what to do." He thought. "He always knows."

_Lei Mansion_

_China_

_Wednesday-2:42 p.m._

Ever since Lei Fang began her training in the martial arts, she had begged her father to put in a sparing ground for her. It did not take much for him to agree, seeing how passionate his daughter was.

The grounds were built to resemble a traditional Chinese style with a concrete-tilled floor and an open-ceiling roof, allowing the outside air and heat to radiate in. Along the walls were ancient Chinese swords, spears, and other weapons. While she had no need for the weapons, she had to admit it gave the room character.

Ryu and Jann Lee might have agreed if they were not so caught up in their training.

Lei Fang did not watch the two spar. She was far too busy with her daily exercise. Her body moved with the slowness and grace that years of Tai Ji Quan had imbued her with. Her instructors had always praised her abilities and her quick-learning methods. But praise was not what she wanted. What she wanted…no, what she _needed_ was to prove her worth, to herself, and more importantly, to Jann Lee.

He had saved her from thugs almost six years ago.

He _saved_ her.

While in his mind, he probably thought he was being a hero but for her, it was a cold slap in the face. The incident just showed how weak and helpless she was. Now she was stronger, tougher, and when she defeated Jann Lee, he would know that too.

She did not hate the man for what he did, but he would not get away with labeling her as a 'damsel in distress'.

"Damn it!"

Lei Fang's internal monologue was interrupted by the very same man she was thinking about.

"I'm always close." The Chinese man was hunched over, catching his breath. "But every time you seem to pull some ninja-secret-trick-whatever move on me and win!"

"It is not a 'secret trick'." Ryu calmly informed. "It is simple. You fight without thinking, which can catch many off-guard who are used to fighting on pure technique. However, since you don't plan your moves, you sometimes leave yourself open for counterattacks and…"

"Ok! Ok! I get it." Jann Lee groaned. "Why don'tcha insult my mother while you're at it?"

"Hmmmm. 'Fight without thinking', eh?" Lei Fang smirked and crossed her arms over her chest. "That's definitely Jann Lee to a 'T'."

Ryu heaved a sigh as the war between the two Chinese youths started again with bickering and insults. He sat on the ground and began his meditation exercises. He had a feeling that it would be a while before the peace and quiet would return.

He closed his eyes. The sounds and smells around him faded like the morning mist. He focused on his mind's eye and began to sense the world hidden from normal people.

As a trained super ninja, Ryu could feel the energies and auroras that filled the world. He started off by feeling his immediate surroundings. The burning energies that seemed to clash with each other were no doubt Jann Lee and Lei Fang still arguing. He expanded his consciousness to go outside the room.

He felt nothing.

Strange, there should be at least some energy in the mansion from its staff. He concentrated harder, widening his search outside the mansion.

Once again, nothingness was what he felt. It was like there was a wall blocking him…

Ryu's eyes shot open. He recognized the feeling of blackness that clouded his senses. A demonic barrier had sealed them in the sparring room.

"What's up with you?" Jann Lee asked when he finally noticed his ninja friend had jumped to his feet.

"They're here." He replied ominously.

"Who?" Lei Fang was confused.

"Well, well, looks like I've been found out." A silky, smooth voice spoke from nowhere. "Pity, I enjoyed watching the little lover's spat."

The three warriors stepped back as a cyclone of black mist erupted from the center of the room. When the mist dissipated, it revealed a woman with shimmering, ebony hair that reached the small of her back. The uniform she wore made it easy to identify her.

"Hey" Lei Fang pointed at the woman. "You're that flight attendant!"

The woman gave a small laugh and ran a hand through her locks. "Indeed."

"Who are you?" Ryu asked forcefully.

"Me?" Another laugh. "I've gone by many names throughout history, but if you want my true name…you'll have to earn it."

Movement caught Ryu's eye. The mist had returned, but this time, it began to take shapes of lion-sized creatures. The beasts growled and slowly moved toward the three humans.

Lei Fang whipped her head from beast to beast. "Wh…what _are_ those things?!"

"Why these are demons, my dear." The woman sang. "Aren't they lovely?"

"What the...?" Jann Lee was beyond surprised. "This is a trick. It can't be real."

"Oh, I think you'll find that this is as real as your little lives get." The woman cooed.

"Have fun, my little kittens. And try not to kill off your new toys too quickly." She giggled and snapped her fingers.

The beasts coiled their legs and pounced.

_Gen Fu's Temple_

_China_

_Wednesday-2:51 p.m._

"Master Gen Fu." Lucia bowed respectfully. "Thank you for allowing us to see you."

The elderly martial artist merely nodded from his lotus position on the floor. The three women took similar sitting styles.

Gen Fu's private meditation chamber was the oldest structure of the entire temple. He and his predecessors had all used the room to train their mind when they were not training their body. The chamber was the size of a small house. A large shrine sat behind him that housed the ancient scrolls that chronicled the history of the Xynyi Liuhe Quan, the Xing Yi Quan, and the many other fighting styles that were apart of Gen Fu's lineage.

Eliot and Mei Lin sat off to the side of the others. Eliot was bristling with anxiousness as he wanted to know what the woman wanted from his master while Mei Lin continued to seethe and glare at the women.

"Miss Lucia, you are from the Protectorate, correct?" Gen Fu's rough voice held his usual calmness and composure.

The half-demoness blinked. "Y..yes. How did you…?"

The faintest of smiles appeared on Gen Fu's elderly face. "I recognize the accent in your Chinese. I met with the Protectorate before."

Before Lucia could inquire further, Gen Fu spoke up.

"Eliot."

"Yes, Master!" Eliot replied. He cringed when he realized that his voice had almost cracked.

"Bring tea." The master ordered.

"Yes, Master." The apprentice rose. "Come along, Mei Lin."

The girl accepted Eliot's hand to help her to her feet. She snubbed her nose at the women as she left the room.

Lady rolled her eyes. "Ain't she adorable."

"Master Gen Fu." Lucia pressed. "When did you…?"

The Chinese man held up his hand to silence her. "It happened many, many years ago, when I was around Eliot's age."

"It was summer and I was just an apprentice." Gen Fu closed his eyes as he recalled his past. "A small group of women came to see my master. They talked with him in private…"

Lucia noticed that the elderly martial arts master trailed off and smiled. "Let me guess, you eavesdropped?"

Gen Fu coughed in embarrassment. "Well, I was young."

He composed himself and continued his tale. "The women were looking for something. Something very important. A…jewel of sorts."

Lucia's eyes widened. The Protectorate warriors that came before her were the ones looking for one of the jewels.

"I could not make out exactly what was said, but it seemed like my master did not have what they wanted, nor did he know where this jewel was." Gen Fu gave a small laugh. "I remember the leader of the Protectorate was there too, a very elderly woman. Somehow, she knew I was listening on them and lectured me about 'upholding the virtues of an apprentice'."

Gen Fu sighed nostalgically. "That Matier, she was an interesting woman."

Lucia became even more stunned. This old man saw Matier when he was in his teens? Just how old was her foster mother?

Her surprise was quickly replaced by disappointment when she realized that the search team from fifty years ago had already checked this lead. She and her friends had wasted their time.

"Now, what is it you wish to speak about?" Gen Fu asked.

The demoness sighed. "I'm afraid that you already gave us…"

"Let him go! Let him go!" A shrill voice yelled. "Grandpa! Help!"

Everyone recognized the voice.

"That was…" Rachel thought.

"MEI LIN!" Gen Fu yelled. He was already out the door before the trio could get to their feet.

When they caught up to the elderly martial artist, he was standing near the front gate, completely absorbed in the spectacle in front of him.

A large being in black samurai armor had hoisted his protégé by his throat. Little Mei Lin was banging on the samurai's shin guards with her fists.

"Let him go! Let my Eliot go!" The girl continued to pound on the being's armor until she took notice of her grandfather. "Grandpa, help! This man came and…and he…he threatened us and…and…."

Mei Lin was too distraught to form complete sentences. Eliot was struggling to escape the beings grip, but his movements were beginning to slow, meaning that he was losing consciousness.

"You there." He called out. "Release my apprentice."

Eliot fell to the ground, holding his throat while gasping for breath. Mei Lin instantly rushed to his side, tears streaking down her face.

"Eliot!" She cried. "Are you ok? Say something!"

The being turned to face the elderly man.

Rachel's heart skipped a beat.

"Who are you?" Gen Fu's voice was calm despite the anger he was feeling. "What do you want?"

"I am Doku." A malice-filled, inhuman voice answered back. "And am here to claim the Jewel of the Forgotten."

Lucia cursed under her breath. It appeared that the Protectorate was not the only group that had a hunch about Gen Fu's temple.

"I have no such thing here." Gen Fu replied. "Now leave."

"Don't play me for a fool, old man." Doku took a threatening step forward. "I know it's here."

"There is no jewel here!" Gen Fu repeated more forcefully. "Leave."

"Yeah!" Mei Lin chimed in, nursing her beloved Eliot. "Go away, or else my grandpa will beat you up!"

The demon roared with laughter. "Will he? Well, since you won't tell me where it is…"

Doku unsheathed the Kitetsu.

"Eliot." Gen Fu yelled. "Are you alright?"

The British teen nodded weakly. "Y..yes, master."

"Quickly, take Mei Lin and run."

The boy wanted to argue, to say that he would stay and fight with his master, but he did not. He knew better than to challenge his will. Besides, he was given one of the most important tasks that he could ever receive, to protect his master's granddaughter.

With his strength renewed, he scooped the girl in his arms and sprinted further into the temple grounds. He ignored Mei Lin's pleas to stay with her grandfather, instead trying to find a place to hide themselves.

His thoughts screeched to a halt by the demon's voice. "I don't recall saying you could leave, boy."

Eliot turned his head just in time to see a streak of black coming from behind. It was already nearly upon him. There was no time to counterattack or evade.

He briefly registered the fact his assailant wore a ninja gi.

A loud bang pierced the air.

The ninja suddenly had a large hole in its head. Black smoke spewed out from the wound.

By the time the ninja hit the ground, its body had mysteriously left its clothes. Soon the robes, themselves, evaporated.

Eliot saw from the corner of his eye the woman named Lady pointing a pistol where the ninja had died.

"Quit stalling, kid. MOVE!" She yelled.

Her voice snapped him out of his amazement and he willed his body to continue on. He could be amazed later.

"Hmph." Doku sounded amused. "I don't know why you saved the whelp and the brat, they'll die anyway. I guess it'll be after I take your lives first."

The black samurai stabbed his sword into the ground. The earth around him ruptured, allowing black smoke to billow out. The thick smog began to take the forms of ninja and samurai. Soon, Doku had a small army of Damned Ninja and Damned Samurai standing behind him.

Lucia remained composed. She had faced imposing odds before and had emerged victorious. And with Lady and Rachel besides her, she was confident of victory. The only loose end was…

"Master Gen Fu, please return to your shrine and barricade yourself in." The red-head whispered.

"I will do no such thing." The elderly man replied with conviction and dropped to a fighting stance. "I will defend my family and my temple with these two Fatal Iron Fists!"

Lucia had no time to argue. "Fine." She retrieved her Cutlaseer. "But stay close."

Rachel stepped forward, her war hammer firmly in her grasp.

"Doku's mine." She stated.

"What is this? Alma's sister is here as well?" The demon sounded like he had just noticed her. "How fortuitous, first Ryu and now you. Fate appears to bring us together."

Rachel was caught off guard by Doku's words.

"Attack!" The former fiend pointed his sword at the group of mortals.

The Damned Shogunate charged.

"Lady!" Lucia barked. "Thin them out!"

"On it." Lady smirked. She raised the colossal Kalina-Ann and fired.

A missile streaked toward the advancing demon horde. A few Damned Ninja leaped out of its path, causing it to strike a Damned Samurai. A wave of flame washed over the demons, eradicating many. The fire died and became a thick smoke, choking the battlefield.

Lucia clenched her blades tighter. No way would it be that easy.

The ground trembled. Over twenty Damned Samurai broke through the smoke and renewed their onslaught. Innumerable Damned Ninja were right behind them.

But what the smoke kept hidden were the Damned Shinobi that had taken off after the British teen and his charge.

_Lei Mansion._

_China_

_Wednesday-2:57 p.m._

The demoness twirled her hair while she watch her three playthings battle her pets. She was impressed by the human's tenacity and their strength. She had estimated that her Cait Sidhe's would have ripped them apart in a matter of minutes. Instead, the super ninja and his two friends were holding their own.

She smiled. But they were mortals. Flawed, weak human beings that could die so very easily. Sooner or later, they would fall.

Sparks flew as Ryu's dragon sword made contact with the metal of a Cait Sidhe's armor. He barely had enough time to bring his weapon up a second time to parry the demon's bladed tail. The demon turned to face its opponent again and leaped into the air. Long, curved, claw-shaped blades slid out from the armor on its front paws.

Ryu ducked under the flying beast, barely feeling the claws brush his back, and thrust his sword into the demon's unguarded belly. The Cait Sidhe fell to the ground and flopped around like fish. Black liquid gushed from it wound. It let lose a dying roar then went still.

Before Ryu could catch his breath, three more demon cats appeared before him, growling for his blood.

Jann Lee howled his patented bird-like cry and unleashed a barrage of punches upon the demon that challenged him. He pushed the Cait Sidhe away with a spinning kick. The demon tumbled into the air and landed with a metallic thud. But within a heartbeat, the demon pushed itself on all fours and sprang back into the fray.

"Damn." The Jeet Kune Do master thought bitterly. "No matter what I hit these goddamn cats with, they won't stay down."

He dodged the demon's attack and sent it flying again with another kick, making it crash into two other Cait Sidhes. He briefly caught a glimpse of his Japanese friend slicing into one of the demon's sides. Another Cait Sidhe leaped at Ryu before the first one fell.

"Looks like plain-old fists won't do." Jann Lee deduced.

The demon he was battling launched another attack with two more supporting it. The spiky-haired man threw all his weight into his next punch, sending the lead demon slamming into the other demon behind it. The third, however, leaped over its comrades and tackled the human. On instinct, Jann Lee grasped the demon's paws with his hands as both demon and mortal fell to the ground.

The Cait Sidhe, now on top of him, snapped at him, hoping to sink its fangs into the human's throat. Jann Lee whipped his head up, bashing the creature's face with his forehead. He remembered just how tough the demon's armor was since his head felt like it had just split open. However, the attack had stunned the creature that was now shaking its head to clear it.

"Looks like my hard head saves my ass yet again!" Jann Lee joked, still seeing double.

He brought his gaze to Lei Fang. The Chinese girl was busy with four Cait Sidhe's. She bounded over one, side-stepped another, and twisted her body around the third while lashing out on the fourth with her legs. She gracefully dodged every attack, but the Chinese man noticed the small cuts and tears in her Qipao dress. She would not hold out forever, especially if she spent most of the time defending.

"Lei Fang!" Jann Lee called out.

The Chinese woman pushed back one of the demons before giving him her attention.

"The swords!" He nodded to the wall.

She glanced at the wall in question and grinned. Jann Lee actually had a good idea.

She kicked away a second Cait Sidhe and dashed to the weapon-filled wall.

She lifted a dao broadsword and a jian straight sword. She sensed movement behind her. She spun around and drove the jian into the roaring mouth of a Cait Sidhe. The demon struggled for a moment before going limp. She wrenched the sword free, the blade slick with dark blood.

"Jann Lee!" Lei Fang tossed the dao. "Catch!"

Jann Lee kicked off the demonic feline and snatched the sword. He swung the blade, only to have it clang off the metal-encased head.

"Sonofabitch!" Jann Lee said through gritted teeth. "Just what the hell is that armor made from?"

The beast slashed the Chinese man. Jann Lee hissed in pain as the claws grazed his chest. He pushed the pain aside to focus on the demon. Coiling his legs he launched himself into the air. He sailed over the Cait Sidhe running the dao across the demon's back as he passed over it. The cat-like monster collapsed, oil-colored blood pouring down its body.

"They're more resourceful than I thought." The demoness mused.

She watched for a few more minutes as the trio began to push back the demons, even though more kept appearing from her Obsidian Mist. Lei Fang pierced her foe's bodies with a graceful dance that incorporated her own Tai Ji Quan. Jann Lee slashed through the Cait Sidhe's with ease, making use of his already quick, flowing fighting style. The super ninja, Ryu was moving at superhuman speeds, leaping and striking demons halfway across the room in a blink of an eye. His skills in fighting the supernatural were all too apparent.

"This will do." The demoness sighed, disappointed that her fun was over.

She flicked her wrist. The demons, both alive and dead, evaporated back into the black mist.

Lei Fang and Jann Lee, still feeling the adrenaline rush, panted while trying to locate the missing Cait Sidhes. Ryu, on the other, brought his full attention to the demoness, but said nothing. She called off the attack on her own and he had a feeling she would say why. Those that were evil always love to gloat.

"Well done, my kittens, well done." The demoness clapped. "And here I thought my pets would have had a mid-afternoon snack."

"Who the fuck are you, bitch?!" Jann Lee spat out between breaths, satisfied that the demons were truly gone.

"I suppose I told you I would give you my name, didn't I?" She tossed her hair. "Well, a deal is a deal."

The black mist appeared again, swarming around her. A violent wind sudden flowed through out the room almost knocking the human onlookers off their feet. The demoness's hair grew longer, almost touching the ground. Her uniform was shredded revealing a type of black fur clothing that covered the important parts of her body. Her fingernails grew and turned dark. Her eyes changed from green to golden and her pupils became slits.

The mist settled and the wind died out.

The demoness licked one of her clawed fingers seductively.

"She'd be hot." Jann Lee thought. "If she weren't some psycho-demon-bitch."

"My name," The demoness purred. "is Marller."

Ryu's eyes narrowed. "Are you with Doku?"

Marller gave a low, tinkling laugh. "Ah yes, Doku. So infatuated with our master. It's almost sad to see a full-demon like him become the lap-dog of a mere half-breed."

"Half-breed?" Ryu thought. "So the man behind all of this is only part demon."

"Just who is this 'master' of your's?" Lei Fang joined in. "Why are you attacking us?"

"If I told you, that would simply ruin the surprise."

Before anyone else could speak further, the mist reappeared, again wrapping itself around Marller.

"Not to worry, my dears. We'll play again." Her voice changed from playful to vicious.

The mist dissipated. Marller was gone.

Everyone jumped when the door creaked open.

"Excuse me, Miss Lei Fang." A smiling maid carrying a tea tray announced. "I just thought that you and your friends might…like…"

The maid trailed off and dropped her tray. "Miss Lei Fang! What on earth happened to you?!"

"A new friend dropped by." The young woman replied dryly, letting her sword fall out of her grasp.

"Looks like we own you an apology, Ryu." Jann Lee said, holding his wounded chest. "We gave you shit when we should have listened."

"Yeah." Lei Fang's voice was softer than normal. "Can't believe we had to almost die to believe you."

"We survived." Ryu placed his sword into its sheath. "That's all that matters now."

While the maid fussed over Lei Fang and Jann Lee, Ryu began to think about Marller's parting words. Doku and she had the same master, a half-human, half-demon. Just who was this man? It could not be Dante…

Ryu's eyes widened as he remembered the story of Sparda.

He did not have just one son.

_Gen Fu's Temple_

_China_

_Wednesday-3:04 p.m._

"No! Let me go! We have to go back!" Mei Lin squirmed in Eliot's grasp.

"Please be quiet." The British boy whispered. "They'll hear you."

Eliot had found an empty room once used to store food back in ancient times. The room was small and dusty since it had not been used for decades. Eliot hoped that he had evaded the demons quick enough to not have been followed, but he kept his guard up.

Mei Lin began to shiver. "Eliot…I'm scared."

The blonde-haired teen tightened his hold. "Me too."

"Who are they?" The Chinese girl was on the verge of tears. "Why are they trying to hurt us?"

"I don't know Mei Lin. I really don't…."

A loud thud from above immediately caught Eliot's attention. Someone…or something was on the roof.

"Mei Lin. Stay down and keep quiet."

The girl complied, shaking almost uncontrollably. Eliot stood and scanned the ceiling, seeing if he could hear anymore sounds that could give away whoever was up there.

A minute of tense silence ticked by.

"Was it the wind?" Eliot wondered.

"E…El…"

The blonde heard a tiny voice from behind him. He turned to see Mei Lin, pale white and shaking uncontrollably. She was trying to say his name, but could only mange squeaks.

"Poor thing must be more frightened than I thought." Eliot thought.

"It's alright Mei Lin. I'll make sure nothing happens to…"

He trailed off as he noticed that she was not looking at him, but behind him.

He lashed out, hoping to fell the intruder with one hit, but his hand just passed through air…and white smoke.

Elliot was baffled. "What is…?"

Mei Lin screamed.

Eliot turned and swung again, this time, his fist found resistance. The intruder slammed into the wall and then slumped to the floor.

The Xing Yi Quan martial artist scanned the room for others. There were none.

He looked over the person that he knocked out. It looked like a woman in a black ninja robe, but there was something very wrong with her. Her skin was far too white to be considered healthy.

"How did she get in?" The teenager wondered to himself. "The door didn't open and the windows are barred to keep animals out."

"Is…is she dead?" Mei Lin asked, finding her voice again.

"I don't know." Eliot replied truthfully. He reached out to pull back the woman's hood to see her face.

Her head snapped up and her illuminating-blue eyes shot open. Bewilderment almost made Eliot freeze up, but his years of intense training allowed his body to move more easily with minimum effort. A dagger-long blade aimed for his head was more than enough stimulus for him. Eliot batted away the blade before it struck and leaped back out of the woman's striking distance.

The woman rose to her feet, her icy stare fixed solely on the Britain. Eliot returned to gaze, knowing full well that while he should show women respect, the being that stood before him was not a woman. He even had a hunch that she was not even human.

The Damned Shinobi launched itself at the teen. Eliot responded by placing his fist into the side of the demon's head. The evil entity spun to the ground.

A sharp pain shot across his back.

"ELIOT!" Mei Lin's stomach knotted when she saw the boy had become injured.

Eliot stumbled forward, but quickly regained his footing. He spun around to face whoever attacked him from behind. A second Damned Shinobi held a tanto, a small amount of blood stained its edge.

"It's not too bad." Eliot told himself as he rolled his back. "She got mostly cloth."

The first Damned Shinobi had returned to its feet. The two demons now had Eliot pinned between them and a wall.

He looked to the two slowly advancing demons and then to Mei Lin. He had to protect her and if he was going to succeed, he would have to return to his frame of mind of a martial artist.

He cleared his mind of the attack, of wondering who, or for that matter what, the attackers were. They were enemies now and he would defeat them.

He returned his attention to the demons…and noticed that one was absent.

"Behind!" Eliot thought. "Like last time!"

He brought his elbow around, connecting with the abdomen of the missing demon. He turned the rest of his body to face his attacker, ignoring the nagging feeling that he was exposing his back to the other demon.

The Damned Shinobi he hit attempted to counter with its tanto, but Eliot had already continued his assault. He pummeled the demon with a series of powerful blows. The second demon acted upon the opening it saw, and attacked.

Just as Eliot predicted.

He brought his leg up, knocking the tanto out of the Damned Shinobi's hand and followed with a second kick that sent demon back flipping into the air.

The first Damned Shinobi had recovered and stood once again. Eliot had already returned his attention to it and thrust his fist at the demon. Its head caved in as the fist continued on until it hit the wall. White smoke poured out the demon's gapping neck until its body disappeared. The empty hood draped over Eliot's fist.

Mei Lin was amazed…and a little frightened. Eliot had taken down one of the scary looking women, but what made her heart sink was that he had popped the woman's head like a balloon.

Those feelings left when she saw the women's abandoned clothes begin to vanish. With the hood gone, she could see that his fist was now bloody and trembling.

The tears were coming again. Her first love was hurt again.

Eliot cursed himself. It appeared that he had not yet fully mastered the techniques of the Fatal Iron Fist. It was indeed a powerful ability, but it was a difficult one as well. Channeling his power into his fists had made them more deadly, but he did not control its execution perfectly. Most of the energy went into the demon's skull and a bit into the wall itself since he almost punched through it as well. But some of that energy rebounded back into his hand, hence his injury.

He thought he had mastered the moves during his training, but he quickly realized that mastering the move in a controlled environment was far different than it was in an actual fight.

The second Damned Shinobi produced a second tanto and charged the boy again.

Eliot snapped himself to attention. He brought his fist out, hoping to catch the demon with the same move. It was dangerous to use the technique again, since he knew it could not execute it safely, but he did not have the luxury of worrying only about his well-being.

Eliot's fist passed through white smoke.

"Again with the disappearing?" He thought.

He shifted his weight and threw another punch behind him.

Again, he met smoke.

A body rammed him from the side, causing the Britain to fall into a gathering of empty clay pots. Dust and clay fragments kicked up into the air, shrouding the boy.

"Eliot!" Mei Lin rushed to the boy, but screamed as she was picked up by the collar of her dress. She was now looking right into the inhuman eyes of a Damned Shinobi.

Her ability to speak ceased function as fear overwhelmed her.

The demon held up the tanto in a threatening gesture and pulled its arm back, ready to jab the blade into the child.

Mei Lin clenched her eyes shut.

A hand grasped the demon's arm.

"Forget about me already?" Eliot's left eye was shut, blood trickling down his face.

He pulled back hard on the woman-shaped abomination, causing it to lose its balance and drop the Chinese girl.

The blonde brought his right fist down on the demon's arm, snapping it in two. He finished with his left, connecting with the demon's rib cage. His fist almost ran right through the Damned Shinobi's stomach.

Eliot fell to his knees as the demon dematerialized. Both of his hands were throbbing and covered in his own blood. He was sure he had broken a finger or two.

He looked over at Mei Lin who was lying on the ground, passed-out.

"She looks okay." Eliot thought as he reached for her.

The door broke apart. The ground shook as another figure entered the room.

Eliot could not help but feel a small pang of dread as a Damned Shogun loomed over him.

_The Devil's Library_

_Herein lies the bestiary of the demons in this tale so far_

Cait Sidhe-Feline-like demons of the underworld. Their armor is highly resistant to meele weapons and their front limbs and tail house deadly blades that they use to slice apart their prey with speed and cunning, making frontal assaults futile. Their sides are their only weak point.

Marller-A demoness infused with the demonic elemental power of the Obsidian Mist. Playful and seductive, she uses her beauty to disarm her opponents before slicing them apart with her claws. She appears to have a deep grudge with Sparda, yet she keeps the reason why to herself.


	17. battlefield of blood,battlefield of love

A/N: Wow! Been goin' through the entire fic with a fine-tooth comb to find the errors and correct em'. Anyways, Ninja Gaiden 2 announced! (Yessssssss!) And I'm X-box live capable! Which means I'm doin' DOA Online! If you want my gamer tag so we can do some one on one, drop me a message!

Disclaimer: DMC owned by Capcom. DOA and NG owned by Tecmo and Team Ninja. Just in case you forgot.

Chapter 17: Did you think I forgot about this?

**Dead or Alive 4: The Devil Factor**

**Chapter 17: Battlefield of Blood, Battlefield of Love **

_Gen Fu's Temple_

_China_

_Wednesday-3:06 p.m._

The sea of demons seemed unending. For every one killed, two arose from the darkness to take its place. They charged relentlessly, unconcerned about their own lives. They felt no fear, no compassion, no mercy of any kind. All they felt was the need to kill.

Lucia had such facts drilled into her head since she began her training as a demon hunter. She knew how they thought, how they acted, how they ate, how they hunted, and how they hid themselves from the gaze of humanity.

But these demons acted differently.

They did not hide in the shadows. They did not strike and then vanish before attention was drawn. They fought in the open with large numbers. They acted together instead of hunting alone. Something was drawing them together and leading them.

Something other than Doku, that she knew.

The red-headed demoness batted away a slew of shruiken with her Cutlaseer. A Damned Ninja appeared before her, its blade aimed for her heart. She brought the other Cutlaseer around by rotating her body, slicing off the demon's arms. A second demon that tried to attack the red-haired woman from behind suddenly found itself without a head.

Before both demons had a chance to return to black smoke, a third ninja appeared above her, its blade already in motion. Throwing her weight behind her, Lucia flipped and struck the Damned Ninja with her foot, causing the beast to lose its control over its jump and smash into the ground.

Sensing more demons already moving to strike, the protecteress planted her hands on the ground and whipped her legs around, striking three Damned Ninjas. Using the momentum from the spin, she pushed off the dirt and slashed at the demons before they fell. By the time the demons hit the earth, Lucia was back on her feet, eyeing her new targets.

The half-demon launched numerous needle-like blades at a pair of demon ninja that had also decided to attack from above. The needles punctured the hell spawn's bodies causing smoke to ooze out of their new wounds. The demons flopped to the ground and vanished with the others.

Lucia ducked as a katana whooshed over her head. A Damned Samurai pressed on with its attack, slicing at the female demon hunter. With superhuman quickness and agility, Lucia easily dodged the strikes. The giant monstrosity brought its sword down, only to have it clash against its opponents own weapon. As soon as the blades met, Lucia thrust her other Cutlaseer into the demon's helmet.

Black smoke jutted out when the red-head pulled her blade free. The demon collapsed, but did not have a chance to return to nothingness before more of its dark brethren made their appearance before Lucia.

"Keep fighting." Lucia thought to herself. "Just push them back, they'll go away after a while. That's what always happens."

As she readied some of her daggers, she could not help but to wonder if this would be like the other times.

Lady's Desert Eagles roared as they spat out .50 caliber rounds that tore through the advancing demon horde. Backpedaling as she fired to keep as much distance between her and her targets as possible, the scarred woman mentally counted off each round in her head.

Her new pistols were defiantly worth the time and money she put into them. The high caliber ammunition made slaying even the toughest demons much easier. She also installed larger clips. More bullets meant more kills. She even put in an auto fire feature, allowing the guns to discharge faster. All this made her guns more deadly…and very illegal. Not that it mattered to her.

But her latest weapons also had their draw backs. The Eagles had more powerful recoils and her added doodads made them heavier, forcing her to readjust her ways of shooting in order to use them properly. And there was another problem to the guns…

The smoking guns let out loud, metallic ca-chinks as their bridges locked back.

The aforementioned problem was that with an auto-fire feature, the guns burned through ammo real quick.

However, since she had been counting the rounds off, she knew exactly when to drop her depleted pistols and bring out her second set of guns. In her right hand was the Škorpion, the Czechoslovakian made sub-machine gun she had used during her siege of the Temi-ni-gru. In her left was a sawed-off double barreled shotgun. The shotgun was specially made to hold several rounds, just like Dante's old ones. She noticed how well they suited his needs during his grander battles and decided that she too could benefit from the close-range weapon.

The SMG sang as it unleashed a storm of hot destruction upon the demons. Damned Ninjas fell filled with bullet holes and Damned Shoguns dropped with shattered helmets. The abominations fanned out and advanced when they realized that grouping together only gave the female an advantage.

A Damned Ninja moved ahead of the pack and attempted to flank the dark-haired woman from the right. Lady snapped the shotgun to her side to greet the demon with a belly full of scatter shot. She whirled the boom stick to her left and fired off another slug into another ninja that tried to attack from her left. She ejected the spent shells and fired again into the tide of demons as she raked the beasts with submachine gun fire.

When her second set ran dry, she let the guns clatter to the ground and brought up the Kalina-Ann.

The rampaging herd of demons screeched to a halt.

A smile formed on Lady's lips. "That's right, you know what's going to happen next! BOOM!"

She squeezed the trigger on the Kalina-Ann's side handle. She had bluffed.

The Kalina-Ann's bayonet shot out, its attached tether connecting it to the main body. The blade sank into a Damned Samurai's shoulder, neatly between the openings of its armor. Securing her footing, Lady yanked with all her strength. The metal covered demon, having lost its balance from the blow of the bayonet, was taken off its feet and thrown back into the gaggle of hellish creatures. Damned Ninjas leapt into the air, out of the path of the Damned Samurai that was being thrown around like a ball attached to a string.

The demon plowed into another samurai. Both then fell onto a third. Lady pointed her large cannon at the three fallen Damned Samurai and this time pulled the primary trigger.

A rocket roared out of the barrel. The trio was incinerated when the explosive projectile struck.

Far from done, Lady thumbed a button on the side handle. The tether retracted into the rocket launcher that pulled the bayonet back into its holding. When she heard the click, signaling that the bayonet had reattached itself, the human devil-hunter turned her beloved weapon around and jammed it into the ground. The bayonet dug into the earth and she placed her boot onto the side handle to keep the weapon anchored.

Lady gave a smug look to the Damned Ninja that had escaped into the air, since they were in the line of fire for her next attack.

"Are you scared?" She called out and hit the switch at the bottom of her large gun.

A dozen micro-rockets spewed out and made a drunken path to the black-robed monstrosities.

Lady's version of a fireworks display lit up the battlefield as the demons were ripped apart by small, yet powerful explosions.

The burned remains of the Damned Ninja fell like a fiery rainstorm. The woman once called Mary yanked her customized rocket launcher free and returned it to her back.

"Barely a fight if you ask me." Lady said to no one in particular.

She scanned the area around her to see if her friends needed assistance.

Lucia was tearing through her attackers without problem. Her moves resembled a graceful dance as she twirled and leapt about while she sliced apart the bloodthirsty swarm.

Rachel was also faring well. Her mighty war hammer was crushing the ninjas with ease. Not even the heavily armored samurais stood a chance against her for long. Yet surprisingly, more seemed to appear and continue what the others had started.

"These things aren't giving up." She thought. "But then again, demons rarely runaway from a fight. Well, expect when they face Dante…"

She shook off the nostalgic feeling and focused on her work.

Lady spotted the old Chinese man a ways from where she stood and could not believe her eyes. When she first saw him, she thought he was only a martial arts master in name only since he was well in his sixties, but what he was doing now was nothing short of amazing.

The Xynyi Liuhe Quan master was in the mist of a crowd of demons, each being thrown back in pieces. The old man was literally breaking apart his opponents with his bare hands. Damned Ninjas were losing limbs and even the Damned Samurai's armor began to crack.

Gen Fu's moves were a bit slow, but each strike crippled or even killed a demon.

She had thought that his so called "Fatal Iron Fists" were just some martial arts hoopla, but it looked like he was the real deal.

"Glad he's on our side." She mused.

In a flash, Lady retrieved her pistol from its holster and fired a shot behind her.

A Damned Ninja that was mere feet away from her fell with a bullet hole between its eyes. A small group of other demonic ninjas froze as one of its own disintegrated.

"Trying to sneak up behind me?" Lady ominously spoke and slowly turned to face her attackers. "Such bad manners."

Rachel hefted her golden weapon and swung in a horizontal arc. Two Damned Ninjas were cleaved in half and a Damned Samurai fell back with a large dent in its armor. With inhuman strength, she drew the hammer over her head and brought its full fury down on the helpless creature.

A cloud of black smoke erupted and concealed her.

"Out of my way, you damned beasts!" Rachel spat, emerging from the blanket of smoke in an intimidating manner.

The demons each took a step back, giving the half-fiend her space.

At first, she thought they were actually doing what she said, but that notion was quickly struck down as the demons moved in from different directions.

Rachel swung her hammer again, knocking some of the foul monsters from the air.

A Damned Samurai pile drived into her, knocking the hammer out of her grasp and sending her to the ground.

She quickly looked up from her prone position to see a pair of armored boots in front of her. She looked higher to find another Damned Samurai holding its sword over her, preparing to impale her.

Rachel responded by performing a leg sweep that took the heavy demon off its feet. She stood to find the Damned Samurai that rammed her was charging her again. She waited until the beast was in range. The demon thrust its sword. With her fiend-enhanced reflexes she twisted her body out of the blade's path, grabbed the demon's arms, and tossed the beast. The hellish creature landed on top of its dark brother.

The samurai's struggled to get up. Rachel stomped the ground next to her hammer. The large weapon popped up into her grasp. She raised the mighty instrument and dropped it upon the two demons.

The black smoke curled around her. Her golden hair had fallen and covered her eyes. Sweat glistened off her skin. And every muscle in her body tightened.

A small group of Damned Ninja surrounded her, but made no move.

"Where…?" She venomously whispered.

The shadowy demons snapped to attention.

"Where is he?!" Rachel roared. "Doku?!"

Her legs exploded with energy as she rushed the center of the ninja's formation, the war hammer dragging behind her.

A Damned Ninja stumbled back, its left limb missing. In a flash, a fist came and removed its head.

Gen Fu struck with precision and unrelenting power. True he was past his prime as a fighter, but he was far from being a frail old man.

But still, he knew his time was coming. That's why he chose Eliot to be his successor. He knew it the first time he laid eyes on the boy. On the surface, he looked rather scrawny and delicate, far too weak to be a true martial artist. But Gen Fu felt a strong conviction from him, like there was a great fire inside waiting to be released.

He had seen very few people, not counting his fellow DOA competitors, with such spirit. He immediately took the boy as his apprentice, knowing full well that his teachings would be put to great use. It was a shame that Eliot did not feel like he was ready to take the mantle of successor. He had more than proven himself in the fourth tournament, but he still did not feel ready.

But perhaps he was right. The boy needed to learn that being a master in martial arts did not mean winning every fight and battle.

The aging Chinese man swung at a Damned Samurai…

And hit nothing…but smoke.

Gen Fu blinked in astonishment. The crowd of black-clad monsters that had him surrounded had reverted into smoke. The fumes still held the shape of the demons, but scattered as a strong wind blew through the temple grounds.

"What the…?" Lady spoke in surprise. "Where'd they run off to?"

She whipped her pistol around, trying to find a target. Her battles with demons had taught her to always remain aware. Besides, demons rarely gave up during the middle of a brawl.

Rachel clutched her war hammer tighter. She too was scanning the area, but she was looking for a particular demon.

The sound of wood breaking and something heavy crashing entered everyone's ears.

Lucia instantly pinpointed the noise. "The meditation room!"

--

A small speck of light illuminated the otherwise dull room. Its radiance was easily overpowering, like a tiny star. The orb hung, suspended in the air, over the remains of the once highly-decorated shrine.

"Magnificent." An inhuman voice thundered.

A hand shot out and grasped the ball. The light dimmed until it was no more.

"That's one." Another voice spoke in a cold tone.

"Doku!" A third voice pierced the eerie calmness of the moment.

Rachel and several other figures stood at the entrance. "Do you think you can run from me?!"

"Run? From you?!" Laughter filled the demon's words. "Why should I run from a tiny girl who stood no chance against me _before_ I was demon?"

The blonde gnashed her teeth. "Things are different now, you…" She trailed off when she noticed a second figure behind Doku.

"You there!" She commanded and pointed her war hammer. "Show yourself."

The figure slowed stepped out from behind Doku's gargantuan form and emerged into the light.

Lady gasped.

Rachel scrutinized the man. Young, wearing a blue suit and coat with slicked back white hair. He looked normal enough except for the katana in his left hand. And the freezing aura that surrounded him.

He was definitely not human.

"Who are you?" Rachel demanded. "Why are you with…?"

"Vergil!" Lady pointed her pistol at the man. "What the hell are you doing here?!"

Surprise completely took over Lucia. She had heard about Dante's older twin from Trish and even Dante himself, but she never once set eyes on the man…until today.

"No wonder he looked so familiar." The red-head thought.

Even Rachel felt a little shocked, for she too heard of the near-emotionless Vergil.

"The daughter of Arkham." Vergil replied. "You've changed out of that ridiculous schoolgirl outfit I see."

The dark-haired woman said nothing and kept her weapon trained on the man.

"You two." Gen Fu entered the conversation as he pushed his way inside. "As of right now, I do not care what it is you seek, for what you have done here can not be forgiven."

Lucia reached for the old man to pull him back, should his words arouse the anger of the two demons. However, Gen Fu merely shrugged off the woman's grasp. He would not hide behind anyone.

"I couldn't care less about your 'forgiveness'." Doku retorted. "Master, allow me to put this feeble mortal in his proper place. Although, I doubt I'll have to do much, his bones are probably half-dust already!"

The Dark Samurai laughed and took a few steps forward. He reached for his blade. The three females readied their weapons.

"Forget him." Vergil calmly instructed. "We have what we've came for."

Lucia caught a flicker of light from inside Vergil's clenched fist. She noticed the destruction of Gen Fu's shrine and instantly came to a conclusion.

"The jewel! It was inside the shrine!"

"Indeed." Vergil agreed, holding up the tiny ball to study. "My father must have thought that this temple of martial artists was a good place to hide it. A pity he never took into account how quickly so-called 'human power' can crumble with time."

Gen Fu tightened his fists.

The blue-clad man placed the jewel in his coat. "Doku, let's go. We still have two more to find."

"As you command, Master." Doku obeyed.

A blue flame ignited around master and servant. The fire grew and threatened to engulf the entire building and everyone in it. Gen Fu threw up his arms to shield his face. Then the fire vanished…along with Vergil and Doku.

"Goddamn it!" Rachel slammed her fist into the doorway, breaking off a large chunk of wood. "He was right in front of me!"

Lady returned her pistol to its holster. "Don't worry. I'm sure we'll see them again."

Gen Fu stood in front of the ashes that were once the proud testament of his dojo and its history.

He could not help but feel the anger build inside him. He knew how to control his emotions, but seeing his temple defiled in such a way was not something he could simply shrug off.

"Who were they?"

The three women, that were musing about the situation themselves, brought their attention to the elderly martial artist.

"Who were those…things?" Gen Fu's voice was almost choked with raw hatred as he continued to look over the remains of the shrine.

He spun around to face his three guests. "Who is this Vergil?! What does he…?!"

Gen Fu trailed off. The hatred melted off his face and was replaced by a startled look.

The females turned to see what Gen Fu was looking at.

Eliot stood a few feet away. His clothes were ripped and his hair a mess. Blood dripped from all over him. In his arms was Mei Lin, unconscious.

"Master…Gen Fu…" Eliot barely spoke. "Mei Lin…is…safe…as…I…"

His eye that was not clenched shut fluttered and his legs buckled. Lucia raced forward and plucked the Chinese girl from the teen's grasp as he fell. Rachel caught him before he hit the ground.

Gen Fu snapped out of his stupor and ran to check on his granddaughter and pupil.

"Mei Lin! Eliot!" He called out. "Are they…?"

"Your grandchild looks fine, Master Gen Fu." Lucia reassured while cradling the sleeping girl in her arms.

Rachel laid the boy on the ground, while keeping his head in her lap. Fear began to grow inside her as she studied the bloodied Britain.

"My apprentice." Gen Fu looked at Eliot with barely hidden anxiety. "How is he?"

"He…he'll live…but…" Rachel could not think of a way to sugar-coat her answer. "It looks like a few of his bones are broken, including a number of his ribs." She gently passed her hand over Eliot's sides, feeling the obvious fractures. "And…his hands…"

Gen Fu was washed over with disbelief as he finally beheld his protégé's hands. They were dosed with his blood and some of his fingers were bent at odd angles.

The elderly martial artist could not feel his fingernails dig into his skin as he clenched his fists tighter. How dare these abominations threaten his granddaughter and harm his apprentice.

He would avenge his family by unleashing his "Fatal Iron Fists" upon them.

_D.W.A Coliseum_

_United States_

_Wednesday-7:37 p.m._

Tina cradled her head in her hand as she stared at her reflection in the vanity mirror of her personal dressing room. A dispirited sigh escaped her lips. Scattered around her were magazines and newspaper clippings of her accomplishments.

Ever since she was small, she loved to win, to be on top. If she did something, she strove to be the best at it, any game, any talent, anything. Upon entering the world of professional wrestling, she quickly rose through its ranks and conquered the female division with ease. But that was not enough, she wanted more. The Dead or Alive Tournament was the perfect place to catapult her higher, to reach her ultimate dream of becoming the biggest star in America…no, in the whole world.

In the first tournament, she aspired to become a model, but it ended in failure, as she was thoroughly defeated during the final rounds. But failure was temporary. With improved training and renewed vigor, she entered the second tournament and achieved her goal. But she soon set her sights on another dream of becoming a movie actor. After the third tournament, another one of her dreams became reality. Then the music bug bit her and when the fourth tournament came to a conclusion, she joined the ranks of rock stardom.

And just achieving these goals was not enough, she had to master them. She was considered to be the best model America had to offer and her own clothing line was flying off the shelves. All her movies became blockbusters resulting in directors and producers hounding her with roles in a multitude of motion pictures. Already there was talk about a possible Academy Award. Her rock career was not spared from her good fortune as all her singles topped the charts.

"Success breeds success." That was her motto in life. With one accomplishment came another and another until…until…

"Until…what?" She thought.

Sure being famous and respected had its obvious perks, but what she truly relished in was the challenge, the struggle to grasp her dreams and make them real. And when she accomplished one dream and grew bored with it, she had another waiting in the wings.

Or at least she did.

"What do I do now?" Tina confessed. "What's left?"

Fashion, sports, music, and acting, the four things she enjoyed the most she had already made a name for herself in. What else could she do, what was the next step?

She thought about making her own cosmetics line, but that seemed dull. She really wasn't interested in any other sports besides wrestling. She thought about branching out in other realms of music like pop and country, but being a rock star was the ultimate high for her, everything else seemed stale in comparison. And being a director or producer was not a fun as being a movie star.

Tina blew a strand of hair out of her eyes. Depressed and agitated, she pondered if there would be another dream for her to grab.

The cover of one of the magazines seized her attention. On it was paparazzi photo of a female pop star walking hand-in-hand with a handsome young man. Around the photo was printed gossip about possible love connections and hinted weddings.

The wall in Tina's mind was demolished. Her greatest idea struck with the impact of a locomotive. It was so simple that it was literally staring her in the face.

A boyfriend. She needed to have a boyfriend.

Thousands of ideas flooded her mind about her soon-to-be soul mate. They were far too jumbled around for her to use them, she needed organization. She grabbed a pencil and a pad of paper and began to jot down the basics.

"First things first, he _has_ t' be hot." She smiled.

Her list grew as more ideas emerged from her mind. Her euphoria was slowly diminishing when she realized that her list made choosing someone a tad difficult. What she wanted was the perfect man, at least in her terms. They had to be as strong as her, just as talented, and an equal ambition. No one seemed to fit the bill.

"Damn." Tina slumped in her chair. "It was a good idea too."

Before her depression returned, another brainstorm struck her.

If she could not find a boyfriend that met her qualifications, then she would make one.

She sat up straight. Yeah, it made perfect sense. She had to work to obtain what she had, it was not given to her, so by that logic, a man could become what she wanted if he worked hard enough, especially if she properly 'motivated' him.

Raw material was needed. She thought of over a dozen men, actors, singers, and even male models that she could mold but as she realized that they had to be fighters on par with her, she quickly dismissed them.

All of them hid behind their bodyguards, something she would never do. The men from the D.W.A were either taken or were not the type of person she wanted.

"Who could I use?" Tina stroked her chin and stared at the ceiling. "Who's as strong as me?"

The only ones that were as strong as her were from the D.O.A Tournament…

Wait! That was it! The others from the tournament! They were perfect! Tina compiled a list of all the men, aside from her father, from the tournament and analyzed each one.

She crossed Gen Fu off the list, too old. Bayman and Leon were also passed her age limit. Besides they were a bit…scary. Zack, despite his goofiness, might have made a good choice, but he already had a girlfriend. Besides, he was too annoying sometimes. Brad Wong was ambitious as a piece of wood, not to mention his drinking habits could only be described as self-destructive. Jann Lee was burning with passion, but only in the realm of battle, anything else seemed to bore him. Not to mention that his relationship with a certain Chinese teen made things complicated. Eliot was very cute, but was a little on the young side. Being with him might make the media think the wrong thing about her. As for the Ninjas, she figured it would be a better idea to just forget that idea. They looked like they needed their space.

Frustrated, she tossed the notepad back on her table. All of her good ideas were being shot down before she could even implement them. What could she do? Was there anyone else?

"As you can see, it's a full house here at the legendary D.W.A Coliseum in the grand state of Texas! No doubt many have come to see the famous Armstrong family hold on to their title's of champion. But will the newcomer, La Mariposa, who has already become a fan favorite, dethrone the standing rulers of the wrestling world? Stay tuned to find out!"

Tina barely remembered that she had her television on. The announcer began to go over the matches of the night, including hers. The camera began to pan around the audience. People yelled and held up crude homemade signs, quite a few paying homage to her. She could not help but smile. She almost forgot the joy of having the public behind her.

Suddenly, something red caught her eye. A man in a red coat with white hair was sitting in the front row with an all too familiar kunoichi right beside him. Tina instantly recognized the man as the one who fought with her father. The same man that held his own against the powerhouse that was her kin.

A sly smile spread across her face, she placed her hand on the screen.

"Maybe you'll do." Tina said to no one. "But I need t' see if yer th' real deal."

--

Kasumi never felt comfortable around large groups. Being in the center of a stadium with hundreds of people was definitely not somewhere she wanted to be. She had no problem when she was in a fight, but being apart of it, in a sea of yelling and cheers, surrounded by so many people, it was suffocating.

She gave a sideways glance to Dante. Unlike her, he was, as usual, aloof. Slouched in his chair, he casually took a drink from his soda, as if the deafening roar of the crowd was a silent whisper.

"You look tense." Dante had to almost yell to be heard. "You alright?"

"It's…" Kasumi tried to respond, but found herself having to yell as well. "It's a little noisy."

"Only a little?" The white-haired man laughed. "We could bail out if you want."

Kasumi almost took him up on his offer. "No. Mr. Armstrong offered us front row seats. It would have been rude to decline."

Dante shook his head. "Kid, you need to realize that you can't be Ms. Manners all the time. Especially in this country."

"Ladies and Gentleman!" A bi-spectacle wearing man standing in the center of the ring spoke into a microphone. His voice, augmented by the powerful speakers all over the coliseum, easily overcame the roar of the audience. "Welcome to tonight's event of the Dead or Alive Wrestling Association! We'll start off the night with a fight between the lovely, yet deadly, La Mariposa and the dreaded Mike "The Mauler" Murphy! Afterwards will be…"

The announcer trailed off as he spotted someone already walking down the runway. The crowd went wild as they began chanting the person's name.

Kasumi had to stand and move about in order to get a good look. A woman, dressed in a cowboy-like fashion blew kisses to the crowd as she made her way to the ring. Her outfit consisted of a stars-and-stripes bra-like brassier and cowboy boots. A lasso hung off her blue jeans and a cowboy hat topped her blonde hair.

The runaway ninja noticed that the announcer appeared to be at a lost, looking at the officials that were ring-side, hoping to get an answer to what was going on.

Tina leapt over the ropes and waved to her audience who continued their chant.

The announcer, who found no help from the equally stumped officials, began to ad-lib. "Uh…Ladies and Gents, may I present to you Tina Armstrong, the leading lady in the women's division! She has followed her father's footsteps to…"

The multi-talented blonde plucked the microphone from the man's grasp.

"Hi everyone!" Tina spoke enthusiastically. "How ya'll doin'?"

The crowd erupted with cheers.

"That's good t' hear!" Tina beamed. "Cause I have a special match-up for all of ya! Me versus a special someone in this very audience!"

The crew was mixed with excitement, suspense, and a little confusion as they wondered who it could be.

"Ms. Armstrong!" The announcer hissed. "What are you doing?! This isn't part of the…"

Ignoring the man, Tina continued. "So, let's bring him up, shall we?!"

The American sensation brought up her hand in a dramatic pose, then thrust it forward, pointing out her opponent.

"You!" She stated. "Are th' one!"

Dante blinked as he found himself at the other end of the woman's finger. Even Kasumi, as well as the people around them, were surprised.

"Who?! Me?!" Dante pointed to himself, baffled.

"You betcha!" Tina winked.

"Uh…" Dante suddenly found himself having the sole attention of every living being in the building, not to mention the cameras with god-knows how many people watching. "I'll pass."

"Now, now, don't be shy! Git on up here!"

Before he could reject her offer, Dante found dozens of hands pushing him forward. The crowd, captivated by Tina's charm, acted on her behalf by bringing him into the ring. Kasumi tried to intervene, but could not fight her way through the spectators to reach her soon-to-be-husband.

"What the hell are you doing?!" A vein throbbed on the announcer's forehead. "You can't do this without proper authorization from the head D.W.A district official! What if this man gets injured? What if…"

"Yeah, yeah, I heard ya!" Tina waved a dismissive hand. "Don't worry 'bout it. Believe me, this is gonna be a fight that'll boost th' ratings big time!"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

Tina's smile grew as the red-coat wearing man was pushed over the ropes. "Oh, you'll see. Now beat it." She shooed the announcer away.

The half-demon looked about, obviously confused about what was going on.

"You do this to all the new guys?" Dante sarcastically asked. "Or was I the winner of a raffle I didn't know about?"

Tina remained silent and instead had begun circling around him slowly, scrutinizing every part of him with a sort of satisfied look plastered on her face.

"You ain't bad-looking there, hun." Tina whistled. "Love the coat."

"A lot of girls do." The man sounded a little annoyed. "Now, there a reason for me being up here?"

"What's yer name, darlin'?" Tina inquired, ignoring his question.

An eyebrow twitched on his face as he gave a flat reply. "Dante."

"Dante." Tina tilted her head up and placed a finger on her chin as she played with the word. "Dante. Yeah, I like it. Sounds kinda exotic."

"What is she gettin' at?" Dante thought.

"I saw yer fight with my daddy." Tina confessed. "Yer pretty good."

Dante folded his arms over his chest and kept silent.

"However." She lazily commented and placed her hands behind her head. "I only got t' see a little bit of th' fight."

"Soooo." Tina stretched out her arms and assumed a fighting stance. "I wanna see whatcha got!"

Dante rolled his eyes. "Not again."

"Look, babe, I came here to watch the matches, not be in one." He turned on his heel and strolled away. "Be seein'…"

His farewell was interrupted when two arms encircled his waist from behind. In a flash, he was hoisted off his feet and thrown into the center of the ring.

The crowd roared in cheers.

Kasumi felt her stomach plunge.

"Why can't he stay out of trouble?" She thought frantically.

"I don't remember sayin' you could leave yet." Tina teased.

Dante's limp body suddenly sprang to life. His legs whipped around until he was back on his feet.

"And I don't remember askin' you if I could." Dante grinned.

"He's defiant." The blonde said to herself. "Good. That means he has spirit. Now let's see if he has power too."

"Think you can keep up with me?" Tina boasted.

Dante's face hardened. First the scuffle with Bass and now with his daughter, this trip was getting out of hand. Why was he here anyway? Who was his mystery client and what did he or she want? These fights with the Armstrong family could be nothing more than coincidences, but in his line of work, there was no such thing.

"God I have the worst luck." He muttered.

As the noise of the audience filled the coliseum, a figure clad in an exotic, and revealing, silver outfit stood by the entrance used by the wrestlers during their dramatic entrances.

"So, that's Dante?" The woman formally known as Lisa whispered to herself. "This should be most…enlightening."

_Hitomi's Family Dojo and Residence_

_Germany_

_Wednesday-8:05 p.m._

Hayate watched closely as Hitomi continued her exercises. Her normal lifestyle made using her karate skills on a daily basis unnecessary. She had gotten a little rusty, but it was a simple matter for her to get back on top form. However, while she still held an incredible amount of strength and skill for a woman of her age and stature, she had much to learn in fighting demons.

It was strange. When he told Hitomi that he would train her on how to battle the creatures of the underworld, she was practically jumping for joy. When he was instructed in such techniques during his training as a ninja, he was frightened at the prospect of fighting something that was not of this world. Although he had conquered that fear long ago, he still took demons very seriously.

"Ein." Hitomi, clad in her karate gi, spoke.

Yanked from his thoughts, he replied. "Yes?"

"I'm done with my warm-ups." She bounced up and down a few times. "What's next?"

Hayate had to suppress a smile. He was relieved that her depression after the fight with Bolverk was short lived. The fire in her still burned bright.

"Alright." Hayate, also in similar attire, stepped forward. "We'll continue our exercises from last time. Since the enemy has taken a human shape, we'll stick with regular karate and move on afterwards."

"Human shape?" The chocolate-haired teen asked. "You mean those skeleton things?"

Hayate nodded. "Demons can take many forms. They can resemble humans, animals, or something else entirely."

"They weren't that hard to beat." Hitomi stretched her arms. "Although the ones in armor were difficult."

"That's because they were of a higher caste."

"Caste, huh?" The German paused to study her fist. "Their armor…what was it? When I was at the top of my game I could at least put dents in steel. But theirs were different."

"To put it simply." Hayate began. "It's because their armor was not made from our metals. That is the main difference between our world and theirs."

Hitmoi looked confused.

"Our world is based on scientific laws and principles." He explained further. "Theirs is not."

"So…what you're telling me is that our physical strength alone won't beat all of them?"

"Correct." Hayate crossed his arms. "That's why we ninja have incorporated Ninpo and Ki techniques to augment our abilities."

"I see." Hitmoi assumed a fighting stance. "Well enough questions. Let's begin!"

Again Hayate nodded and assumed a similar stance.

--

"She's doing well. But then again, she always was a quick learner."

"Maybe. Or perhaps it's because she has a good teacher."

"Why thank you." Kurt paused. "Uh, you were talking about me, right?"

Natsuko simply smiled and continued to watch her daughter and adopted son spar from the slightly opened door.

"What worries me is what she must face." The German man's face hardened. "Demons are far different from the thugs we have running around here."

"I know." The Japanese woman replied in a hush tone. "But she's strong. And she has Ein looking after her."

A small smile graced Kurt's lips. "I wonder if they'll get married in the future."

"I hope so. He's good for her. I can tell these things." Natsuko's smile turned mischievous. "That's how I knew about you."

Kurt made let out an amused humph. "I wish I could go with them, but I suppose I'm too old for that sort of thing."

"Now don't be like that." Natsuko teased and planted a small kiss on her husband's cheek. "Come on, let's leave them be."

The pair watched Hayate and Hitmoi continue their sparring for a moment longer before gently closing the door.

--

"That's enough." Hayate picked up a towel to wipe away the sweat. "We'll pick up tomorrow."

"No. Not yet." Hitomi pressed. "I can still go on."

The Japanese man quickly looked his adopted little sister over. She was sweating more than he was and appeared to be almost out of breath.

"I appreciate your desire to learn, but it is just as important to let the body rest as it is to train it."

"I know that!" Hitomi snapped. "I just…"

Hayate was slightly taken aback by her outburst. He then noticed that she was trembling slightly.

"I just…I have to get stronger. I _need_ to get stronger." She fought back the tears. "Otherwise, I won't be able to fight besides you…to be with you."

The wind ninja stepped forward placed one hand on her shoulder and used the other to tip her chin up so she could look into his eyes as he spoke.

"You will get stronger, Hitomi." He smiled. "You _are_ getting stronger."

The German girl's face blushed with embarrassment and relief. The tears came, but from joy than from sadness. "Ein…I…"

Hayate considered himself to have excellent senses that allowed him to foresee things to a degree, but what happened next he never saw coming.

Hitomi had sprung to the balls on her feet and met his lips with hers. Her hands clutched at his shoulders.

Hayate's brain screamed at him to put a stop to it. But his body refused to comply. Instead his hands held her body closer to him and he returned the kiss.

Neither knew how long the remained in the embrace, but when it ended, both felt like it was too short.

"Ein." Hitmoi dreamily whispered, hugging the man closer to her. "I love you."


	18. declarations and decisions

A/N: Wow, so…much…HOMEWORK!! And if you add Halo 3 and Mass Effect into the mix, you can actually hear my free time for writing go straight out the window. But I took some time off of videogames to get this to y'all!

Disclaimer: DMC owned by Capcom. DOA and NG owned by Tecmo and Team Ninja. I sorta own a laptop…kinda…not really.

Chapter 18:Brought to you by massive amounts of cola

**Dead or Alive 4: The Devil Factor**

**Chapter 18: Declarations and Decisions**

_D.W.A Coliseum_

_United States_

_Wednesday-8:06 p.m._

The rush came at full swing. The chanting of the crowd, the adrenaline in her veins, how everything seemed to blur away during the heat of the moment.

Tina exploded at Dante, throwing herself at him with her arms crossed. Dante collided with the ropes. A shower of sparks erupted when he bounced off the taut ropes and for a brief moment he felt numb all over.

A large man next to Kasumi let out a whoop. "Alright! Electric Rope Match! I thought they only did those for the tournaments!"

The kunoichi's heart sank even further. It looked like Tina was planning to go all out for this fight. She had tried to push her way through the thick wall of human bodies to get to the ring, but unless she planned to use force, she was not going anywhere.

Dante shook his head to regain his bearings. Unfortunately for him, Tina did not give him the chance. Still dazed, Dante barely registered that Tina had somehow latched onto him and began to position herself. In a flash, she had managed to take him off his feet and hold him upside down. She then brutally slammed him head first into the mat.

The blonde Texan never skipped a beat when she continued her onslaught by wrapping her legs around his neck and chest. Dante flopped around like a fish as Tina squeezed her calves together, cutting off his air supply.

"Stop! Stop, your hurting him!" Kasumi called out. Her voice was lost among the overpowering chorus of the audience as they yelled their support for Tina.

"This was too easy." Tina thought dejectedly. "And here I thought that this fella could…"

Before she knew it, the multi-star found herself tumbling in the air and crashing into the ropes.

For the first time that night, the crowd lapsed into silence for what they saw could only be described as unbelievable. Somehow, the silver haired stranger had broke free of Tina's hold and thrown her into the ropes in less than a second.

Even Kasumi was slightly taken aback by Dante's sudden display of power.

The hunter of demons rubbed his throat. "Damn, almost blacked out there for a moment."

Tina pushed her body off the ground. Her cowboy hat fluttered off her head.

"I really didn't wanna do that." Dante said to himself. "But it was either that or live with a broken neck."

A sly smile graced the blonde's face. "So he does have some bite."

A giddy euphoria filled her senses.

When she was back on her feet she heard the man's voice.

"I don't suppose you wanna call this a draw and go our separate ways."

"Are you kiddin', darlin'?" If it was possible, Tina's smile grew further. "We're jus' getting' started!"

The twenty-two year old woman coiled her legs and launched herself at Dante, pouncing on him like a cat.

The crowd resumed its near ear-splitting levels of noise.

Dante was on his back again, but not for long. Tina seized Dante's legs and began twirling him about. A brief moment of déjà vu overcame the half-demon, remembering his bout with the female wrestler's father earlier that day.

When Tina released him, Dante toppled across the mat coming to a stop just short of the electrified ropes.

The crowd groaned in disappointment.

Dante sprang up, only to receive a knee to his gut followed by two fists that hammered his back and put him back on the floor.

Tina rushed her opponent again as he rolled to his feet.

The crowd collectively winced when their idol suddenly fell to the floor.

"Sorry 'bout that." Dante rubbed his knuckles. "But you're really gettin' on my nerves."

Tina pushed herself off the ground holding a new bruise on her cheek.

"Nice swing. But ya won't get another chance t' do that again!"

Dante, finished being the attacked, sprang forward launching his fist for another strike. Tina backed away just in time to feel him brush past her hair. A few strands of her shimmering blonde locks fluttered in the air. She saw his left fist coming in for an upper cut. Again she glided away from its path, but not before the back of his fist could feel the tussles of her brassiere. Dante continued with his motion, turning his back to her and lashing out with his leg. Tina protected herself by crossing her arms over her chest, letting her arms take the brunt of the attack, but the strength of the blow took her off her feet.

The crowd was washed over with surprise, but fueled by the excitement of the situation, kept cheering.

Kasumi bit her thumb. This was not going well at all. Tina had adjusted her fighting style from her flashiness when she fought in the wrestler's league to her more serious, and deadlier, form for when she fought in the tournaments. This had to stop.

"This will stop." She whispered to herself.

"Excuse me, sir?" She politely tapped the shoulder of the man in front of her. "I'm sorry."

"Fer what?" The man asked without taking his eyes off the fight.

Her hand shot out and jabbed the man in a precise spot between his shoulder blades. Instantly the man fell to his knees.

"Wh…what in the…I can't feel my legs!" The man sputtered, completely unaware of the teen that crippled him had leaped over him.

Kasumi moved through the crowd like water down a hill. The people that stood in her way suddenly experienced numbness in their legs and collapsed. She felt bad for using such techniques on normal people, but she needed to get to the ring quick. Besides, the effects only lasted an hour.

She weaved between two large men waving around poorly made signs that professed their affection for Tina. With a burst of speed, she easily dodged the security appointed around the ring and prepared to jump in.

A sudden silence came over the coliseum. A crumpled figure lay on the mat.

Dante blinked.

The eerie hush created a rather disturbing aroua around the red-coat wearing man. He could feel the eyes of everyone looking at him with a murderous rage. But, than again, what did he expect for knocking out their princess of the ring?

He knelt by the fallen body of Tina and gently nudged her. "Hey…you ok?"

The blonde remained unresponsive.

"Oh come on, I didn't hit you that hard!" He gave a quick glance over his shoulder. "I do not wanna be lynched here because of y-!"

A collective startled gasps and murmurs spread through the audience like wildfire. Kasumi's face went pale.

Tina, in one fluid motion, had pulled Dante's face down to meet hers.

Dante's brain was frazzled to the point that he could not even make the connection that she had faked being knocked out.

After Tina's tongue was finished exploring the details of his mouth, she broke the embrace and gave him a dreamy look.

"Yer perfect." Her voice was low and flirty.

She jumped to her feet, without a hint of injury. Tina hated to throw the fight and use a cheap move to lure Dante in but she had seen enough with his fighting abilities. He was definitely an equal to anyone in the tournament...and maybe more. There was something about him that she could not pin down. At any rate, she had planned the little diversion to test him in another area. He was a terrific kisser. Even when he was obviously stunned, his body reacted to her. He had tilted his head slightly to allow her better entry to his mouth, seemingly out of instinct.

"Well, I suppose we got sum work t' do, darlin'."

"The hell you talkin' about?" Dante cocked an eyebrow.

Tine did not answer right away, instead she sauntered around Dante for a second time.

"Hmmm." Tina looked at Dante's clothes thoughtfully. "The coats nice, but we definitely need t' put some designers on ya. I'm thinkin' somethin' in a charcoal color."

"What?"

"You play anythin', hun?"

Dante was lost with her random selection of questions. "Huh?"

"An instrument." Tina said more slowly. "ya know, a musical one?"

"I can play the guitar, I guess." Dante furrowed his brow. "Why you…"

"Guitar, huh?" Her smile was more to herself. "That's good, I can add ya t' my band. Or should I have ya star in yer own band. Whadda think?"

Before the blue-eyed man could respond, she waved him off and began talking to herself again. "I suppose we can decide later. Damn, there's so much t' do, I don't even know where t' begin. I can definitely see ya in an action movie, but there ain't many that are that good. Maybe a…"

"Just what the fuck are you blabbin' about?!" Dante finally reached his limit. "I am startin' to wonder if I actually did hit you too hard!"

Tina turned around and looked at him as if she finally was aware that he was actually there. She smiled, winked, and pointed her finger at him. "Why its simple, darlin'. Yer my new boyfriend."

Silence would have overtaken the coliseum, if a lone voice did not pierce through that shook the pillars.

"WHAAAAAAT?!"

What sounded like a stamped came roaring down the walkway and leaped over the ropes. Bass landed in the ring, causing it to quake with his weight and power.

"What'd you jus' say, girl?!" Bass face was filled with red and throbbing veins.

"Oh, this don't concern you, daddy." Tina voice rang with irritation.

"Th' hell it does! I ain't gonna letcha just go out with any ol' boy that comes yer way!"

"I ain'tcher little girl anymore, daddy! I can decide t' go out with anyone I want!" She tossed her hair. "'Sides, I thought ya liked him."

"That's besides th' point! And I ain't gonna take none of yer back talk. Don't make me put ya over my knee and embarrass ya in fron' of all these people!"

"Oh, please! Ya never spanked me in my entire life." Tina laughed.

"And now I see where I wen' wrong with ya." Bass growled. Then an idea struck him that caused his lips to rise in a devilish smile.

"I may not spank ya, but I do have them baby pictures!"

Tina gasped as the color left her face. "You wouldn' dare!"

"Remember the time when you where four and ya refused t' wear clothes?"

The blonde woman squeaked in terror. "I thought I destroyed those!"

"I saved a few back, just in case!" Bass was savoring this moment and wondered why he did not use his idea sooner.

Dante's eyes darted between father and daughter as the yelling match grew to the point that neither wrestler realized that they were being broadcasted to television sets all over the country. Seeing his opportunity, he slowly walked to the edge of the ring, crawled carefully through the ropes, and silently jumped to the ground.

He spotted Kasumi a few feet from the ring. Like the rest of the audience, she too was captivated by the spectacle the Armstrong family was putting on.

"Let's get outta here." He hissed and seized her hand.

Kasumi woke at Dante's touch and followed him as they hurried up the walkway. The security guards did not even notice them as the two went into the entrance used by the wrestlers.

"I think we've overstayed our welcome." Kasumi muttered.

"No kiddin'" Dante glanced out the entrance to see if they were spotted by Tina or her father. Thankfully both were still arguing with each other.

"I'm surprised Tina took a liking to you. Normally she's very picky about men." A new voice sounded behind them.

The two turned to see a female wrestler in an outlandish silver outfit and mask. Kasumi instantly recognized her.

"Lisa, hello." Kasumi bowed. "How have you been?"

"Hello to you too, Kasumi." The luchadora smiled. "And I'm working now, so it's 'La Mariposa'."

"Let me guess. You two know each other from that tournament thing, right?"

"Actually we met before the fourth one on…an island…a year or so ago." La Mariposa coughed.

Both females looked a little embarrassed over something.

"Whatever." Dante shrugged. "Do you know a way outta here?"

La Mariposa looked out the entrance. The heated argument was still going on strong.

"Normally I'd stay out of my friend's romantic life, but it looks like you don't want to be a part of it either."

She thumbed behind her. "There's an exit three doors down. Goes into the parking lot."

"Thanks." Dante began to walk away.

"Anytime, Dante."

The man in red froze. "How'd you…?"

"You said your own name on national television before you and Tina had that little match, don't you remember?"

Dante opened his mouth but quickly closed it. He had an odd feeling about the woman, but decided that escape was his first priority.

Kasumi said her goodbyes and caught up to the half-demon.

"So, Donovan, that's your so-called 'Devil Factor'?" La Mariposa said to herself. "I may have been unable to stop you with the Epsilon project, but I won't let you play around with another life."

_Gen Fu's Temple_

_China_

_Wednesday-9:12 p.m._

The light from the dozens of candles flickered off the walls of the temple's main dinning area. An empty silence filled the cavernous room that brought a depressing aurora around the three occupants.

Gen Fu sat with his eyes closed and strummed his fingers across his arms in agitation. Rachel toyed with her war hammer and Lady cleaned her various weapons. Neither a word nor a glance was exchanged between them.

Lucia entered, all eyes became fixated on her, awaiting her answer.

She offered a small smile. "They'll be ok."

Gen Fu relaxed a little, his fingers halted their movements.

"Eliot has a few broken ribs and fingers. His hands are fractured, but they'll heal if he takes it easy."

"And what of my granddaughter?"

"She's a bit shaken up, but she'll be alright. She's tending to Eliot."

Rachel propped her hammer against the wall. "Think that's a good idea? I mean she's what, ten? And she's taking care of him?"

"I'm just having her make sure he eats well and has plenty of water. Simple things." Lucia took a seat. "Besides, she wouldn't move even if I carried her out of his room."

A pause filled the room. Everyone had something on their mind. Gen Fu was upset over the violation of his temple and the injuries his protégé received when he protected Mei Lin. Lady racked her brain as to how Vergil came back to the human world and what he was after this time. Rachel tried to reason why Doku would become subservient to someone besides the Dark Emperor. Lucia wondered if Vergil had claimed anymore jewels.

But the one thing all four of them thought about was what they could do now.

"We need to move on." Lucia finally spoke. "We need to find the other two jewels before Vergil."

Rachel nodded. "Got any idea on where next?"

The red head shrugged.

Lady loaded one of her pistol. "We'll find the others, somehow."

"And I shall accompany you."

The three women stared at Gen Fu.

"I shall stop these damned beasts from whatever evil they may be plotting." Gen Fu stood tall. "And I shall exact my revenge."

"What about your granddaughter and apprentice, Master Gen Fu?" Lucia softly stated. "You can't leave them here with Eliot injured the way he is and you can't take them along."

Gen Fu scrunched his face together in irritation but said nothing.

"Still…" Gen Fu began. "I can't just sit here and do nothing. I shall send them somewhere where they will be safe and can heal."

"Where?"

Again, the Chinese man had no reply.

A smile formed on Lady's lips. "You know, there is someone Lucia and I know that can help us out."

Gen Fu eagerly awaited Lady to continue.

"Tell me, Lucia." Lady leaned back. "Is Dante's shop still where it was last time I was there?"

_Hitomi's Family Dojo and Residence_

_Germany_

_Thursday-7:15 a.m._

"Stupid, stupid, stupid! Why'd you say that?! What were you thinking?!"

Hitomi banged her head against the bathroom mirror. "Why'd I kiss him?! Why'd I ruin our friendship by doing that? Why, why, WHY?"

"Honey, what's wrong?"

The German teen jumped at her mother's voice from behind the door.

"Ah…nothing mama…just brushing my teeth!"

"Well do hurry, the rest of the family needs to use the bathroom too."

"Right mama. Be out in a sec!"

The chocolate-haired girl sunk her shoulders and heaved a heavy sigh. Family, that's what Ein was supposed to be, the brother that her parents wanted her to have. Falling for him felt like she was doing something wrong, like it was actual incest. But he was the only man in her life, besides her father, that she loved with all her heart.

She blushed as she thought about the kiss, her first kiss. It was clumsy and awkward for her, but he had corrected what she was doing, guided her along until she broke it off and she only did that because she felt like she was going to faint.

Then the thought finally hit her. He had known what to do, which meant he had experience, had kissed other girls before.

She felt troubled. But it only made sense that a man like him at his age would have at least kissed a few girls.

And maybe…he had gone further…

"Honey, are you almost done?"

Again, her mother's voice caused her surprise.

"Ah…yeah, almost mama!" She managed to squeak out.

--

Hayate stared blankly out his bedroom window. He had woken, but was still in his bed in the visitor's room. He could not muster the effort to get out and get dressed. Like Hitomi, his mind also buzzed with thoughts about last night.

He had betrayed himself, his oath as a ninja to never affect the outside world or let it affect him unless it was for a mission. He had forgiven himself for becoming apart of Hitomi's family because the events that propelled it were beyond his control. But last night, he knew of what he was and what he was doing. Still, he allowed himself to submit to his desires and pervert something that was so dear to him that he wondered if he were truly the honorable clan leader that he was raised to be.

But he would not lie to himself. He did it, he returned Hitomi's affection and if given the chance, he would have done it again. And that fact was what worried him the most.

Back home, his family had thought it best that a clan leader should have a wife, someone to support him emotionally. They had begun searching for a suitable bride, picking some of the most beautiful women in the village. Some of the kunoichi's had 'volunteered' themselves. He knew of them, some wanted the admiration, respect, and power of being the wife of the clan leader while others simply found him attractive.

But since the attack on the village, everything went to hell. And some of the women that wanted to be with him had met their end on that fiery night.

The memory of the darkest day of his clan's existence filled his senses with the same hate and rage that fueled him on his latest quest. To find and destroy Doku, his master, and anyone else affiliated with them, to put an end to DOATEC and their wicked ways.

Love would have to wait.

He breathed a sigh and closed his eyes. He had to tell her, explain that he could not be what she wanted him to be, at least not yet.

Or ever for that matter.

He bitterly reminded himself that he had to fix things with his adopted sister, not further aggravate them. She was still young and naïve about the world sometimes.

She had to learn that stories do not always have happy endings.

_Devil May Cry building_

_United States_

_Thursday-3:22 p.m._

"It would appear that Vergil has obtained one of the jewels."

"Has he?"

"Oh, indeed. Quite a productive fellow he is. And the way he dealt with the humans that were in his way, simply marvelous!"

"Vergil is not someone who kills for enjoyment, abomination."

"Your words hurt me, my dear lady. True he may not be true 'evil', but even you must admit, he's as close as one gets."

"He's confused. He thinks power is what he needs, when in reality, he needs to find himself, to make peace, otherwise he will still be haunted by his past, like his brother."

"Ah, yes, the hunter. Don't you find it odd that two identical brothers who share the same mentality are the bitterest of enemies?"

"Same mentality? Dante does not think of only himself!"

"True, but that's all that separates them. They share the same hate, the same self-loathing. They hate themselves as well as each other. The oldest hates the human side of him, the weak, emotional side that reminds him of his incompleteness, his mortality. The youngest hates his demon half, the monster inside him, the thing that binds him to the beings that killed his poor mother and shattered his little, happy life. It's almost like poetry in a way."

"I can help them. Free them from that fate you described. I have already done so with Dante. I have given him someone to love, to heal him."

"Ha! Help them? Dear lady, the only thing you have helped is your own family. You've pawned your oldest daughter on a man to save her and tell yourself that little story to help you sleep at night. In a way, you're more insidious than a demon. You're using him for your own greedy purposes. What will you do for Vergil? Marry your youngest daughter to him? Yes, that's your answer for everything. Sell your off-spring to others. You're the very role-model of a…"

"Silence, monster! What do you know?! All you do is cause strife and conflict like you're doing now!"

"Am I? I thought we were having a nice friendly chat. My apologies if I have misunderstood."

"…"

"Let's stop playing these games and just tell me where it's at, the Jewel of the Forsaken."

"I will undo the damage that has plagued my family. I will end the self-destructive rage within the sons of Sparda. I will do what I could not do many years ago. And I will never ever tell you where the jewel is at."

"Never ever is a very long time, my dear lady. You can't keep it hidden forever, not with Vergil hunting for it. And when the day comes where he stands before, pointing his sword at your throat, I shall be there. Until then, my dear lady."

Gentleman vanished.

A small knock came from Ayame's door. The woman composed herself before answering.

"You may enter."

Her youngest child meekly opened the door.

"Lady Ayame, I heard you yelling, is everything alright?"

She smiled. "Everything is alright, my dear. Please come in."

Ayane hesitantly obeyed.

"How have you been, my child?" Ayame sat down on her bed. "I hardly see you anymore."

There was a pause before the violet-haired teen answered.

"I'm doing well, Lady Ayame." She fidgeted as she stood in place. "I'm sorry if I worried you."

"I told you to stop calling me 'lady', Ayane."

"Then…then how should I address you?"

The older woman laughed. "Why as 'mom', you silly thing."

The teenager blushed uncontrollably and kept her sight on the ground. "I…I don't think that w…would be appropriate."

"Please? For me?" Ayame's voice became a hushed whisper.

Ayane's eyes grew for a brief moment when she heard her mother's plea. Only when she had admitted to being her mother many years ago did she use that voice, one of heart-wrenching sorrow.

"Anything for you…mother." Ayane managed to force out.

The older woman's smile evolved into a shinning beacon of warmth.

She held out her arms.

"Come here, my little butterfly."

Again, Ayane obeyed and soon found her head lying in her mother's lap with her hand going through her hair.

"I've wanted to do this since you were born." The older woman softly spoke.

In her mind, the younger woman agreed that she also wanted such attention from her as well. Her mother's touch seemed to make all of her anger and frustrations in life simply disappeared.

It felt funny that her mother had suddenly began treating her with such love and kindness since the rescue from DOATEC. She had even begun to call her 'her little butterfly'. It made her heart ache when she thought about what had happened to her mother.

Then the thought of Raidou's return filled her with a mixture of dread and rage. She had to protect her mother from the monstrosity, but he held a power over her that she could not stand against, her own emotions.

"I'll find a way to stop him." She thought. "I'll die before I let him lay his filthy hands on my mother again."

Time seem to vanish as she stopped thinking and just let herself feel her mother's hand stroking her head.

_Helena's suite_

_France_

_Thursday-8:22 p.m._

Helena played back the fight that had been broadcasted all over America. She noted that the young woman had Dante cornered at the beginning, but it looked like Dante had not taken the fight seriously until the end. What perplexed her more was what Tina was doing after the fight when she kissed him, since there was no recording of what Tina and Dante were talking about in the ring. When Bass showed up, obviously infuriated, she briefly wondered if a follow-up fight between the two men would happen. Her hopes were quickly dashed when father and daughter started screaming at each other and Dante slipped away.

She turned off the playback and slumped back into her seat.

So far she had mixed results with Dante. He was obviously a good fighter, but since his fights were half-baked, it was hard to gauge how well of a fighter he was. The limits of his strength and abilities were still a mystery. It looked like a second fight with the Armstrongs would be virtually non existent. A fight with Lisa might be the ticket, but unlike the wrestling family, she was a level-headed individual, she would not be so inclined to fight unless Dante were the aggressor. And judging by his attitude, he appeared to be the type that preferred to be left alone.

She reached for her tea sup and took a sip. The bitter taste soothed her a little, a much needed relief to the continuing stress she felt.

"Time to step my program up a notch." She said to herself. "It's obvious I'm going to get all I can from the wrestlers. I need to see him myself."

But first, she would have to make sure that his tagalong kunoichi went away.

She retrieved her cell-phone and speed-dialed her agent.

"Yes, Miss Douglass?"

"Prepare a ticket to Paris for 'target red'. One-way, first-class, that should relax him a little. And prepare a note that asks him to come alone. No threats or anything like that, just make sure Kasumi doesn't come along."

"Understood." The agent replied and hung-up.

"Part one of my play is complete." Helena put her phone down. "Time for an intermission and the beginning of part two."

_Christie's safehouse_

_Great Britain_

_Thursday-8:44 p.m._

"So, he's coming here?" Christie asked herself.

The female assassin had placed a bug in Helena's cellphone during her time as her 'servant'. She was surprised and a little disappointed at the French woman for not finding it or even considering changing cellphones after she revealed who she really was.

Christie found herself rather excited about the coming of the mystery man. He was the one person every crime organization in America feared. Yet why was never really stated. Sure there were reports of _what_ he did but nothing about _how_ he did it.

She needed more Intel on Dante and all she got were rumors, horror stories of frightened mobsters, and testimonies from drunken sources, hardly worth while information.

Helena was gathering some powerful allies. Bayman was already working for her and now she was bringing in someone new. It seemed like she was gaining the edge.

The key phrase was 'it seemed'.

If Helena's situation was looked at in a different perspective, she could see that she had far more enemies than allies. The Mugen Tenshin ninjas were after her and her father's company, Donovan and the DOATEC board would get rid of her in a second if they thought it would be beneficial, and she had alienated herself with those neutral in the war with her superior attitude.

And of course, there was herself, the poison that would end the French soprano.

It was only a matter of time before the walls closed in around Helena.

_DOATEC International Airport_

_United States_

_Friday-4:25 p.m._

"Why am I here?"

Trish took a long drink from her soda before answering. "I told you, I got a call from an old friend, asked if I could look after some friends of hers."

"No, why am 'I' here?" Ayane said more pointedly.

Trish smiled. "Cause I get lonely by myself, hun. 'Sides, it wasn't like you had anything else planned."

"Like you asked if I did." The violet-haired teen grumbled. "And I don't like leaving my mo…Lady Ayame by herself."

Ayane cringed when she realized had she almost slipped.

"Your mom said she wanted you to go out with some company instead of shutting yourself in your room or disappearing by yourself for hours." Trish spoke nonchalantly.

Ayane snorted and turned her head to hide what she was sure was the start of a blush.

Trish just smiled and indulged herself in her drink again.

Ayane watched people move about in the small cafeteria of the airport as a pause lapsed in the conversation. She followed a young couple that stopped in front of the cafeteria. The girl suddenly clung to the boy, tears falling from her eyes.

"I'm going to miss you." She sobbed. "Why do you have to go?"

The boy took the girl by the arms and moved her back gently.

"I'll only be gone for a few days, ok?" He spoke like he was talking to a child. "I'll be back before you know it."

The girl pushed a stray dyed-blonde hair from her eyes. "But you'll call, right?"

The boy smiled and brushed a tear from her eye. "Everyday, I promise."

Ayane gagged at the scene that continued to play in front of her. If that was how someone acted when they were in love, then she was glad it never happened to her, at least not the type of love that she was watching. She thought of how the girl needed to grow a spine, she was acting far too clingy.

The speaker system suddenly chimed in.

"Attention," The female voice called out in a robotic tone. "Flight 480 from Beijing has arrived at Gate F-3."

"That's their flight." Trish stretched and tossed her drink into a nearby can. "Come on."

Ayane took another glimpse of the couple, now locked in a very deep hug. Again, she fought down the wave of nausea, spoke a few bitter words about the couple, then dashed to catch up with Trish.

--

"Look, Eliot! We're here!" Mai Lin bounced in her seat while she stared out the window. "We're in America!"

"Yeah." Eliot agreed in a weary tone. He never got enough sleep since the person seated next to him was a hyperactive girl.

"I should have said no when she asked for all those sodas." He thought.

"Can we go to Disneyland?" She tugged at his sleeve.

"I'm afraid not." Eliot grimaced since she was pulling on the arm that was currently in a sling. Mei Lin quickly realized what she was doing and stopped.

"Sorry."

"It's okay." Eliot smiled and rubbed his shoulder with his bandaged hand.

Mei Lin felt horrified as she finally remembered about her beloved friend. She asked about going to amusement parks and shopping malls the entire trip over, but utterly forgotten how damaged Eliot was. He had managed to get out of his bed within a day, but he was still handicapped with his hands and he had a hard time breathing at times.

She became frustrated over her selfishness.

"Eliot!" She turned around to face him.

The British blonde blinked. "Uh…yes?"

"I'll be your hands from now on!"

Again, the teen was besides himself. "That's okay, Mei Lin, I can…"

"No!" She pushed herself off her seat and moved closer. "You have too! You got hurt protecting me I have to repay you!"

Eliot smiled. "No you don't, Mei Lin."

"Yes…I…DO!" She pushed herself even further until they were touching noses.

The blonde could tell that she was not going to take no for an answer.

"Well…okay. If you want."

A smile grew on her face. "Don't worry, Eliot! I'll take good care of you!"

"Uh…thanks."

Eliot began to wonder what had gotten into the Chinese girl. She had been forward since the incident at the temple. Maybe she was still scared a little. To be honest, he still had nightmares about it. Maybe this was her way of trying to forget. To do something to take her mind off what was happening.

After all, she would not be his hands _all_ the time. She would not follow him to the bathroom or anything like that.

Would she?

He realized that the flight attendant was talking on the inter-comm, telling everyone they could depart.

--

Ayane toyed with her hair. Trish was next to her with her sunglasses on and a homemade sign with the name Eliot written on it.

The Japanese girl had to admit, the name sounded familiar, but she could not place a face to it.

A herd of Chinese tourists poured out of the terminal, many of them families with crying and sleepy children and blustered parents trying to keep the family together.

"Eliot's a weird name for a Chinese kid." Ayane off-handedly mentioned.

"He's not, he's British." Trish corrected and leaned on the wall. "But the girl she has with him supposed to be."

Ayane snorted. "What's with Western boys trying to get Asian girlfriends?"

Trish smiled. "I don't know, but it isn't like that, she's supposed to be around ten or so."

"Oh, that's so much better." Ayane sarcastically said.

"You know what I mean." Trish replied. "And what's with you being all snappy? Already on your period?"

"Oh, shut up, you…"

Ayane trailed off when she saw him.

She was sure it was a ghost, it had to be. But there he was, coming up to her with an arm in a sling and a small girl in tow.

No, it was not him, he was not Japanese, but…his eyes were the same color, the same look. His hair, though blonde, was cut the same. Same build, same look, only he was British.

"No." She prayed. "Don't do this to me. He haunts me everyday, don't play with my head!"

She briefly wondered if it were a trick, a hallucination by Raidou, taunting her like he said he was.

The boy walked to Trish and introduced himself and the girl, all the time Ayane watched wordlessly. Finally, the older woman introduced Ayane, but she remained silent.

"Ayane?" Trish asked. "What's wrong? Introduce yourself to him."

The kunoichi shook her head in amazement. They looked the same. There were differences, but they felt alike.

She regretted what she uttered aloud.

"Yuri? Is that you?"


	19. shaken faith

A/N: Wow, almost two-years I've been doin' this story. Had some highs and lows, but kept this thing alive. My 360 crapped out on me, so I've had plenty of time to do this chapter and work on my other fics. Be sure to check 'em out…please?

Disclaimer: DMC owned by Capcom. DOA and NG owned by Team Ninja and Tecmo.

Chapter 19: Two years and still going

**Dead or Alive 4: The Devil Factor**

**Chapter 19: Shaken Faith**

_Paris International Airport_

_France_

_Saturday-10:08 a.m._

"Bonjour, Monsieur Dante! Welcome to Paris!"

Dante kept his neutral/annoyed expression as he was greeted by a small group of black-suited, sunglasses-wearing men and a stunning brunette in a blue business dress. The woman was all smiles and sunshine, a stark contrast to the stern faced men behind her.

"My name is Caroline." She politely spoke with her thick French accent. "I am here to represent your client and to make sure all your needs are met as you stay in our wonderful-"

"Tell ya what," Dante interrupted, "wait until I get over this damned jet-lag, then you can be as chipper as you want."

"Ah, tired are you?" She chimed in. "Well please, come with us. Your room should be ready by now."

Dante followed the woman to an awaiting limousine. Dante felt the hardened gazes from the black-suited men as they walked behind him. He knew their types. These were not lackeys, but professional lackeys. No doubt they did not trust him. No matter, he did not trust them either. The only difference between them was that he was damned sure he could mop the floor with the lot of them without breaking a sweat.

After the men had some difficulty putting his large briefcase into the truck, something that Dante took some pleasure in, they were on the road. They lackeys took two different cars, black sedans, and took front and rear positions of the limousine. He was alone with the still smiling Caroline.

"Would you like something to drink, Monsieur Dante? I would suggest a whiskey, but it is rather early."

"It's noon somewhere." He replied.

She poured some of the maple liquid from the small wet bar and handed it him. He downed it in one gulp.

"Oh my," Caroline giggled. "You're quite the drinker."

"It's been a rough few weeks for me." Dante said flatly.

It was even rougher when he tried to leave at the Texas airport. Kasumi felt rather dejected for having to leave Dante and return to the shop. He explained to her about the message he received, for him to come alone, but she still wanted to tag along. She countered by saying that as a ninja, she could easily avoid detection. He won, somehow, by arguing that he did not want to risk it, saying that if it cost him the job, than all that happened would have been for nothing. She was upset, but agreed nonetheless.

A phone rang. Caroline retrieved her cell phone and answered. The conversation was short and in French, leaving Dante well out of the loop.

"That was my employer and your client." She explained as she put her phone away. "She wishes to extend her greetings to you."

She? So his mystery client was a woman. Not much, but at least he knew something about whoever hired him.

"When do I meet her?" Dante asked. "Or is she too shy to say hello to me personally?"

"Oh, you'll see her soon enough, Monsieur Dante." The representative cooed. "She is busy at the moment, so I'll have to keep you company for the time being."

"I guess I can't complain about that." Dante smirked.

_Wu's Tavern_

_China_

_Saturday-11:12 a.m._

"Hey, barkeep, 'nother round."

"Like I told you the last four times you've asked me. GO HOME!"

"Ah, come on, don't be like that. Jus' one more round. Then I'm out the door."

"You said that about the last round, and the round before that, and the one before that too! And I, like a complete idiot, believed you! No more, out!"

"Hey, I'm a customer. Haven't ya heard that the customer is always right?"

"You're more like a parasite. Ya come in here and leach off all my booze."

"Hey, I pay, so what're you complainin' about?"

"You've been here for over twelve hours! That's what I'm complaining about!"

"You should be grateful that you've got such a loyal customer."

Wu shook his head. "Just go home, Brad."

Brad Wong grumbled something and let his head sink into his folded arms that were on the bar. How come every barkeep in the city gave him an attitude when he stayed a little longer than the usual customer?

The front door opened. An old man stepped in. He wore simple clothes, but his stance was composed and his steps were fluid when he walked.

"Sorry sir, but I'm closed." Wu greeted, and then turned to Brad. "At least I'd like to be if it weren't for some lump who didn't know when to call it a day!"

"Not to worry." The old man spoke. "I'm here for him."

"Good." Wu replied. "Get him outta here. Clean him up. Do something with him. Been running this place for twenty years and he's the first lush that's made me depressed."

The barkeep walked off in a huff. The old man took a seat next to Brad.

"It's been a while, Brad."

"Obviously not long enough." Brad moaned slightly.

"Is that any way to greet your master?"

The drunken-fist warrior's head shot up. "You know what? you're right. This calls for a celebration."

"Hey barkeep! Give us your best, we're celebrating the return of my old master! Drinks for everyone!"

Brad's announcement would have gotten cheers and praise, if there were anyone else besides him, his master, and Wu.

The barkeep let out a string of curses, but ignored Brad.

"Killjoy" Brad muttered.

"Brad, you must be careful about your lifestyle." His master spoke. "Many who have followed our way end up as nothing more than drunken bums."

"That's rich, comin' from you of all people." Brad slurred.

His master let out a sigh. He was slightly disappointed with his pupil. Sure he was a fantastic fighter, but he needed to learn balance in his drinking, or he would face a steep fall.

"If you're here to bust my balls about finding that legendary drink of yours, come back when I'm sober."

The master could not help but let a smile form on his lips. Finding Brad sober was just as likely as finding a million dollars just lying on the ground.

"Actually, I'm here for something else."

"What's that? Gonna send me on another pointless quest?" Brad Wong snorted.

"This is far from 'pointless'." His master spoke ominously. "I need you to find something for me. An old friend contacted me about this and assures me it is quite serious."

"Oh really?" Brad Wong sounded like he was going to laugh at any moment. "And what am I looking for? Some nuts to go with the drink ya originally sent me for?"

"A jewel." The older martial arts master informed. "Called 'The Jewel of The Forbidden."

_La Rose Rouge_

_France_

_Saturday-6:04 p.m._

"You're not an easy man to find, you know."

"Than its obvious I haven't done something right, since I wasn't supposed to be found at all."

"Have you looked over my proposal?"

"I have already informed you, I'm on vacation. I'm not for hire at the moment."

"Then when are you?"

"When I feel like it."

"The amount I have offered is more than generous. I fail to see what the problem is."

"Personal reasons. That's all I am willing to say. Now if you'll excuse me, my garden needs tending."

"Is that why you didn't join the fourth tournament? Busy pulling weeds?"

"It doesn't concern you."

"Hiding won't solve whatever it is that's bothering you. You want money? I have that. You want to test yourself? They'll be plenty of opportunities for that when you work for me. And when this is over, you can go back to your garden and disappear for as long as you want and you'll never hear from me again."

"…"

"Leon, I need all the help I can get. Don't tell me you're not up to the challenge."

"Harassing me won't earn you my loyalty. But I'll think about it."

"That's all I ask." Helena said before she hung up her cell phone.

If Leon sided with her, then she had one more ally in her battle. And if she played her cards right tonight, she could add another.

As if on cue, she spotted the figure she had known only in video screens. A man with white hair and a red coat was lead to her table by her middle woman, Caroline.

His eyes met hers when he identified which table he was going to. She eyed him like a customer looking over a new car she wanted to buy. Such scrutiny brought up memories of his encounter with Tina. Dante shivered involuntarily.

Her eyes remained fixed on him with her intense gaze as he sat down and Caroline took her leave.

"So, I take it you're the big cheese." Dante said more as a fact than a question.

"Indeed. I am Helena Douglas." Like Caroline, she too had a French accent.

Helena was wearing a French-designed red dress she reserved only for meeting special individuals. Her face was partial obscured by her hands that were clasped in front of her. Her elbows rested on the table.

"Is there a reason I took that little detour to Texas, or do you like to throw people to the wolves?"

By 'wolves', he no doubt meant the Armstrong family. She brushed off the remark.

"You're an interesting character, Dante." She spoke in a low and calm tone.

"And you're staring is a bit on the creepy side." He lounged in his chair. "It's the coat, isn't it? Chicks dig the coat."

No facial change on her part. Dante decided not to remove his eyes on her either, but he did not have the Machiavellian touch she had.

A straight-faced waiter popped in with slick black hair and asked if they are ready to order, at least that what Dante assumed as he spoke in French.

She replied in French as well. She spoke so fluently and quickly that Dante could not distinguish one word from the other. She never moved her eyes from him when she spoke.

The waiter said a few more words and departed, but not before he arched his eyebrow at the rather uncomfortable looking scene he saw before him.

"I hope you don't mind, but I asked for a lobster dinner for you." She spoke frankly.

Dante shrugged. "Doubt they have pizza in this type of joint anyway."

A pause followed. Dante could not help but squirm slightly under her gaze. Just what was it she wanted?

"I've done some research on you." She admitted, though her tone gave off the air that she had a right to do so. "Quite fascinating. Haunted castles, destroyed cities,…"

She narrowed her eyes somewhat. "And demons."

Dante did not say anything. He just kept his gaze locked with hers, daring her to continue.

"Of course, who really believes such things?" She let her hands drop to the table. "Do you, perchance?"

A bad feeling formed in Dante's gut. He did not like the path the conversation was headed for.

"You seem to be the expert on me, what do you think?" He asked off-handedly as he tried to diffuse the situation with his trademark humor.

"I've said I've done my research." She sounded rather irritated. "That doesn't mean I found much."

Dante's dread was washed away. "I guess, despite my best efforts, I don't stand out much."

"I find that doubtful." Helena sighed. "At any rate, the reason I called you here was to get more information. And what better way to get it than from the horse's mouth, so to speak?"

"What do you want to know? My shoe size?"

"What I want is an answer to one question." She leveled with him. "Just what the devil are you?"

Dante could not help but laugh at her ignorant pun which caused Helena a moment of surprise.

"Me?" Dante snickered. "Who knows for certain?"

Helena scrunched her face in distain. He was mocking her.

"I am not in the mood for games, Monsieur Dante."

"Oh, really? I'm still waiting on an answer for the Texas incident."

He was needling her, trying to upset her, probably because he misinterpreted her staring as an intimidation tactic. Why were men so confrontational? In reality, she was analyzing him, watching his facial expressions to see what type a person he was. She was too uninformed about his personality to make an accurate call about him. After all, she did not want to place her trust in someone who might be a sleaze bag.

So far his defensiveness was making such deductions more complicated than they really needed to be. She needed for him to be relaxed and open. A change of topic was in order.

"Do you know who I am, exactly?"

"Enlighten me."

"I am the current acting president of DOATEC, the Dead or Alive Tournament Executive Committee." She said more with blandness than pride.

The smugness in his face dropped. A reaction! Good, some progress was being made. She had to press on.

"My father created the company many years ago. After his death, I took over his position." She continued on. "I am currently in the midst of a certain project that I need assistance with."

"I'm guessing it's not a science project you're doing."

His face betrayed his attempt at humor. She could tell that there was something in the conversation he did not like.

"I'd call it more of a 'house cleaning'." The blonde French woman absent-mindedly twirled her hair with her finger.

"Jeez, what is it with you DOATEC guys and your veiled comments?" Dante huffed and pinched his nose like he had a headache.

Helena startled. "What?"

"Ya know, the problem is with you corporate types is that you're so used to telling half-truths and lies that you can't ever say what you really want." Dante went on a rant. "It's given me a fuckin' migraine. Listing to you and that professor what's-his-face is like listing to a 'how-to' tape on how to be too damn subtle."

He reached out and snagged a wine bottle from a passing waiter. The waiter, an older and more 'classy' individual, was taken aback and angered by the white-haired man's act. He began to lecture and scold the man's tactless display, but his words were useless to a man who did not understand the local language.

"Chill out, chief." Dante stole one of the wine bottle openers from the platter the man carried. "You're gonna give yourself an aneurysm."

Helena did not notice the other nearby customers giving her guest nasty looks. She had only one thing on her mind.

"The other man." She started of carefully. "The professor you spoke of. What was his name?"

Dante opened the bottle and took a swig. The waiter was still in an uproar causing other waiters to come and try to calm him while they moved him away.

"Uh…let me see…it's on the tip of my tongue…" Dante thought. "I believe…Donovan. Yeah, that's his name."

Helena felt fear and disappointment run through her. He had contact with Donovan? That was not apart of the records she obtained about Dante.

Other questions about Dante formed in her head, ones she would get the answers for before the night ended.

_Devil May Cry building_

_United States_

_Saturday-6:32 p.m._

Eliot was raised in partial seclusion nearly all his life. His parents were not too wealthy, but well off enough to put him into a private school back home in Britain, an all male school at that. When he was not in class, he was being tutored, and when he was not in school, he was away at Gen Fu's temple, training under his master's eye. Except Mei Lin, he had almost no contact with the female species. He had an encounter with them every so often, more frequently nowadays, but nothing that left a lasting impression. That changed the moment he met Ayane that led him to the situation he had now.

She was a participant of the Dead or Alive tournament, but he did not face her in battle, so he knew little about her. An odd event happened when he encountered her at the airport. She seemed, bewildered by him, like a sort of déjà vu had taken over her. And the name she uttered. 'Yuri'. Who was she talking about?

After that, she avoided him like the plague, disappeared right off the map.

The other women who called the little shop home included another Asian woman, Ayame, Ayane's mother he learned, and the blonde mystery, Trish. No last names either, which made the experience more bizarre. Ayame was motherly toward him, but offered no explanation to her daughter's behavior. Trish was more flirty, but again, no answer from her either.

Mei Lin, who hovered over him, was acting more frustrated over his obsession to finding out about Ayane. She wanted to share a room with him, but thankfully, Ayame, who surprisingly knew Chinese, the only language Mei Lin knew, offered to be her roommate. The girl latched on to her immediately. A mother figure was what she needed after the ordeal at the temple.

Eliot read one of the many books he brought with him. It was a textbook in physics, a subject that he did not do so well in his last year in school. He had to promise his parents up and down that he would study every free moment he had when he was away in China for the summer so they would let him go.

After a while, he realized that he forgot about his Ipod. He liked to listen to classical music when he studied. He got up from the bed that he used as his study place and walked over to one of his large duffel bags.

"Stop." A voice and a pair of hands that grip his shoulders came from behind him.

The fact that the voice was feminine and non-aggressive stopped Eliot in his tracks instead of whipping around and striking the person behind him, like his training taught him.

"Ayane." He asked. "Is that you?"

"Don't talk." She said sternly. "Just listen."

Eliot nodded, hoping that she could see him clearly even though only a single lamp was on in an otherwise darkened room.

"I don't know why, but I feel I have to explain something to you." She spoke like a great many things were on her mind. "Maybe it'll make me feel better or something, I don't know, but…I have to say this."

She took a moment to compose herself. She was obviously distraught about something.

"There was a boy, back at my village. He was…a friend. He was a weak and a pain sometimes but he was still…" She paused. "He was my only friend. Something I valued dearly, even if I didn't treat him well at all."

Another, longer pause followed. She breathed rather hard and a little uneasily.

"Then he died." She whispered the words so faintly that he barely heard it. "He sacrificed himself to save me when I didn't need saving. I watched him die."

Eliot heard her curse something in Japanese.

"He loved me. Those were his last words. I gave him my first kiss before he left this world…left me. I was so used to people looking down on me. Only my father gave me actual love, until he too, was taken from me."

He could feel her trembling from her hands. He wanted to comfort her, but he knew better. Instead he remained where he stood and continued to listen.

"You…look like him." She admitted rather forcefully. "Your eyes, they're the same. I don't know how or why, but they do. When I saw you, I saw him and I remembered. I don't want to remember. It hurts to remember. That's why…that's why I can't look at you. That's why I avoid you. I know it's not fair to ask you this but…don't seek me out anymore."

Eliot felt rather guilty for causing the girl pain, but he was confused somewhat about her story, mostly dealing with her. Why was she looked down upon? How did her friend, Yuri he assumed, die?

Another thought that crossed him was how she managed to get inside his room without him knowing.

"I'm sorry." She clutched his shoulders tighter. "I…"

She trailed off. She released his left shoulder and trailed her fingers down to his bandaged arm that he had just taken out of its sling.

"What happened to you?"

"I was hurt." Eliot said uneasily. "I was protecting my master's granddaughter from demons that attacked our temple."

She continued to examine Eliot's injuries and caused the boy to blush.

"You must never endanger yourself again." She spoke calmly.

The embarrassment of her attention was quickly replaced with surprise at her words. The feeling was fleeting as his martial artist determination kicked in.

"I cannot make that type of promise." He informed. "If I fight to protect the ones I love, than it's to the death for me."

He heard a snort, one of amusement, come from her.

"You think you sound cool talking like that?" She sneered. "You think you can put your life at risk so easily?"

"Like you said, it's _my_ life, not anyone else's. So I decided how I use it. And besides, why do you care?"

A third pause came over the conversation. Ayane had fallen silent, like she had not thought of any type of reply to what he might have said. Several seconds passed before she broke the silence.

"I don't want to see him die again." She answered in a very honest tone.

"I am not him." Eliot said quietly.

She said nothing else. He felt her release his shoulders. He waited for what felt like forever before he turned around.

She was gone. Not a trace left behind.

He relaxed somewhat and wondered what, if anything, he should do about her.

_Helena's suite_

_France_

_Saturday-7:48 p.m._

Dante had been on many dates in his lifetime. From long-term courtships to single night flings. Some were spectacular, others ranged in the alright region. Than there were the ones that were like tonight, a total flop. The dinner was spent mostly in silence with a few empty topics that came up. She seemed rather talkative at first, but when he mentioned Donovan, the conversation went down the tubes. The old man seemed to have that effect on people.

Another oddity was that after dinner and the limousine ride back to her place, she invited him in. Usually such invites accompanied dates that went well, but he accepted nonetheless.

Be polite, that was what Trish wanted him to be more of.

Her suite was spacious and extravagantly decorated, signaling that she had a lot of money to throw around. He noticed that the pear white color was the main theme to her home. Pictures of foam-kissed beaches and painted family portraits lined her walls.

"Not a bad place ya got here." He smiled. "But I bet you think it's small. Rich people always say stuff like that, huh?"

She moved a few yards ahead of him after she placed her purse on the stand. She gave him no reply.

"Well, since I doubt I'm gonna get a kiss goodnight, I'll just let myself out."

He spun on his heel. He froze when a sound he heard far too many times during his life as a mercenary entered his ears. The sound of a gun's hammer being cocked back.

He twisted his head around. Helena stood with a Glock pointed at him. She held it with one hand, like they did in the movies. But the gun never wavered and she looked comfortable holding it. It appeared that she had handled firearms before.

He made an amused sound, held up his hands in surrender, and turned around slowly.

"I know the date was bad." He jested. "But I doubt I'm the only one to blame for it."

"Donovan. How do you know him?" She ordered.

Dante kept silent. He had a feeling she was not going to like any answer he gave.

"Answer me!" She barked.

It looked like saying nothing was not going to please her anyway.

"Met him a while ago. Gave me a job."

"What sort of job?"

"Delivery. It's a long story, but I was supposed to give a girl a box. And no, it wasn't a birthday gift."

"A girl?" Helena looked confused for a moment before it dawned on her. "Kasumi."

"So you have been watching me. I felt something was up in Texas."

She gave Dante a cold gaze. "What was in the box? Why did he want you to deliver it? Do you still work for him?"

"Hey, easy there. One at a time." Dante's smirk was starting to get to her. "You're awfully pushy, ya know."

"Tell me. Now." She raised her gun's sights from his chest to his head.

"Look, like I said, it's a long story. And it's kinda late, so why don't we all go home…well I'll go home, you can stay here and scheme of world domination or whatever the hell it is you do here, and do this another day, cause you're obviously not in the best of moods right now."

"I won't ask you again." Her voice was low. "Tell me what I want to know or…"

"Or what? You'll shoot me?" Dante gave a sharp laugh. "Ain't you a buzz kill. Buy a guy lobster, invite him up to your place, than kill 'em. You need to get laid or someth…"

She did not want to do it, but something in her snapped. The gun's recoil almost made her drop it since she was not mentally prepared to actually fire it.

Dante jerked back as the bullet struck him. He collapsed like a marionette with cut strings.

Helena breathing had become short and shallow. The hand that held her gun had begun to tremble. She used her other hand to lower the weapon. A faint smile fell on her face.

"Funny." She said to herself. "I thought I was supposed to feel bad for killing someone, but I feel…nothing. Maybe I've fallen too far to be saved."

She laughed faintly at first, but soon she could not help herself, it grew until it over took her. Saved? Maybe in her dreams perhaps, but she had no intention or plans to live past her life's mission. The laughs blended with sobs that confused her. Was she laughing or crying over herself? Perhaps both.

She wiped her eyes when she finished. The French opera soprano looked at the body that lay on her marble tile floor. Crimson liquid pooled around his head.

"I'd better have my men clean this up."

The blonde clicked on the Glock's safety and placed it on a table. She walked over to her fallen guest. It was rather tragic. She invested so much time trying to learn about him, only to kill him. That is how serial killers did it, right? Stalk their victims before ending their lives?

"Don't worry." She felt awkward talking to a corpse. "I'll make sure to bury you somewhere nice."

"Well, don't I feel honored."

Helena froze on the spot. The color emptied from her face.

Dante pushed himself off the ground. Blood ran down his face. The bullet hole that should have been in his forehead was gone. Not even a blemish was there. Just like the video she saw of Dante's fight with Bass. Once he was on his feet, he held up something small and dull between his forefinger and thumb. It was the bullet that should have been lodged in his brain. He flicked the bullet away. The bullet hit the wall and made a small, metal ping sound when it fell into the wastebasket.

"Now I know how my brother felt." Dante thought. "Jesus did that sting."

"Sorry for the production, but ya caught me off guard." Dante said. "It's been awhile since I was shot like…"

He moved to the side as a hand punctured the air that his head had occupied. He stepped back and brought his arm up as a shield to counter the leg aimed for his ribs.

"Whoa! Calm down, babe." Dante yelled.

Helena lashed out again. Her hands were open and rigid like knives. She moved her arms in half-circular motions. She was fighting in a martial art stance, but the white haired man was unsure of which one.

She did not know why she was attacking him. She just felt it, like an instinct.

Unfortunately, her unconscious movements made it impossible to plan out any sort of strategy. She was just trying to hit him. Usually, such lack of tactics could make it hard to properly counter, but it appeared that Dante was involved in more than his share of pointless fights. He was on the defensive, so not one of her strikes had landed.

But she had to hit him. But why? Was she shaken up that badly from seeing his…well what could it be called? Technique? Ability? Powers? Maybe she was trying to hit him to break the illusion of immortality that shrouded him. After all, nothing was immortal, right?

Then it happened, the memories. They came back, faster and harder than ever. She could not even try to reason on how they were triggered. She tripped and fell. She fought back the urge to vomit while taking deep breaths to calm herself.

"You okay there?" Dante asked.

Helena spoke, but she was unable to fully pronounce her words. "…out."

"Huh?"

"Get…out." She spat in a growling rasp.

"Look, a lot of crazy shit's been happening, but let's not get all offensive about…"

"Get out NOW!" She roared. "And don't ever come back!"

She wanted him gone. The American mercenary saw her at her weakest, most vulnerable. No one, not even Christie had seen he like what she was at that moment. It was an embarrassment that drove Helena into pure rage.

Dante looked at her for a moment, confused at her behavior. He then shrugged in his usual 'whatever' attitude and left the president of DOATEC to shiver on the floor of her expensive, and empty, suite.

--

The limousine was gone when he exited the building. It appeared no one thought that he would need a ride back to his hotel. Rain had begun to pour on the streets, which only added to Dante's woes. He stepped out into the sheets of water that came down and became soaked almost immediately.

"Perfect end to a perfect day." He muttered.

Calling a taxi would have been worthless, since he doubted any taxicab driver knew English. A bus would have also been fruitless since he did not exactly know other countries' bus routes. That left only his two feet. And since he was not sure just were he was exactly, finding his hotel would be problematic.

"This is what I get for trusting other people."

He craned his neck up to see the floor of his former employer's suite. He doubted that she would call back up to apologize, so he assumed that his contract, if there was one with her, was herby void. It looked like he would have to blow all his fallback money on a plane ticket home.

He was about to return his attention to the street when he spotted something moving near the top of the building. It was something white. He would have missed it if it were not for his demon-enhanced eyesight. He squinted to get a better look and raised a hand to block out the glaring light from an overhead lamppost. The spot of white was moving closer to Helena's suite until it disappeared near one of the windows.

"The hell was that?"

--

Helena clung to the comforter of her Victorian-style bed. Even when she was little, she liked the canopy of her bed. She would close the curtains and made herself feel like she was safe inside her own world that included her bed, herself, and nothing else. She thought she had outgrown such a childish thing, but it appeared that she was such in need of comfort that even the most juvenile thing would have appealed to her if it offered her even the barest amount of feeling safe.

She wondered why she had an attack when she was fighting, it never happened in a fight. But the blonde's usual fights involved her being focused, logical, and strategic. Her short battle, if it could be called that, with Dante was a complete mess. The problem was she was not concentrating or even thinking, she was just…reacting.

"How do I fix this?" She finally spoke. "How do I make this right?"

Even though she was still shaken up from recent events, Helena still thought about her life's mission. Dante's abilities or whatever they were, as scary as they might have seemed, could be invaluable. After all, who else had someone working for them that were immune to bullets?

Her ideas came to a screeching halt when she felt a sudden increase of weight from behind her and pinned her to her bed, there was no leverage for her to get up. She tried to struggle, but arms and legs intertwined with her own that created a vice that restricted her movements. Soon she found her arms pinned behind her. Helena opened her mouth to yell, but she was gagged by something that tasted like cotton. Something cold and sharp pressed against the side of her throat.

"Hello, Miss Helena." A sultry voice whispered into her ear.

Her body locked up. She knew that voice, that British accent in her French.

"I told you before that I'd be the one who takes your life." Christie spoke to her like a child.

The assassin gently traced her knife up and down Helena's neck, no doubt outlying where one of her major arteries was.

"You know, for someone with such grandiose plans, your not very perceptive. You've never checked for bugs in your phones, your rooms, or your computer. I listened in to your little spat with your Dante fellow."

Helena felt Christie's breath behind her ear, the knife vanished.

"So here I find you, crying like a child without her teddy bear." She drawled in a condescending tone. "If it weren't for your fighting skills, I'd have killed you long ago. You maybe strong on the outside, but you're just a scared, spoiled, little girl underneath it all."

Helena's breath caught in her throat, the hand that held the knife had slipped under her dress and rubbed itself against her panties.

"I'm wondering," Christie purred, "what else lurks underneath the ice queen-bitch shell. Maybe something you've repressed? Something you've…neglected?"

Helena shuddered in fright. Christie had begun to stroke her captive through her undergarment.

"I wonder how long it's been since you've been with a man. Or do you prefer other women?" A light chuckle filled Christie's throat. "Or have you just been with yourself so far? It's so hard to tell with you."

Christie pushed closer, her lips touching Helena's ear.

"I bet I can make you come. Give you a moment's pleasure before I send you to meet your mother. Be sure to tell her I said hi."

The snowy-haired killer stopped as something pressed against the back of her head.

"Normally, I'm all for girl-on-girl." A voice in English spoke. "But it appears that the French chick isn't into it."

"And you're not too bright, either, Dante." Christie replied in English as well. "Judging by the feel of the size of the barrel you've got on my head, you've got a large caliber gun. A .45 perhaps? At this range the bullet will go through me and her too."

"Ya don't say?" Dante nudged Christie's head with Ivory. "And what makes you think I give a shit? If you have been listening to us, then you should know I don't work for her anymore. So why should I care what happens to her."

Christie smiled. Unlike Helena, she had gotten a clear picture of Dante's personality when she did her own investigation of him. Of all the things she saw him as, a deserting rat was not one of them.

"Why don't you put the gun down and join us? If my guess is right, Miss Helena here hasn't known the touch of a man or woman. What better way than to experience both at once?"

Now there was a trap if Dante ever heard one. The white-haired chick must be really desperate. Or trying to get him to let his guard down.

"Sorry, but I believe in the old saying 'three's a crowd'." He replied in an off-handed tone. "Now why don't you…"

Christie suddenly whipped her body around. She knocked Ivory out of Dante's hand. The gun went off but only managed to destroy a pearl-white reading lamp on the nightstand. She pushed him against the wall, her knife inches from his throat.

"Should've taken the offer, Dante." Christie said. "Your play acting might have fooled Helena when she missed you, but I doubt you can fake a slit throat."

It was Dante's turn to smile. She did not know what Dante truly was, or what happened early.

"Christie." A shaky voice called.

Christie glanced from the corner of her eye behind her. Helena, free from her gag, had Ivory pointed at her. The large, highly modified pistol was unwieldy for her and forced her to use both hands to use it.

A metallic click came from in front of her. Another pistol like the one Helena held, but darker, was in Dante's other hand, pointed under her chin.

"I always carry a spare." Dante jeered.

"I let you go the first time we fought." Helena's voice became more steady and angry with each word. "And again the second time, even when you told me it was you who killed mother. Because I didn't want anyone's blood, not even yours, on my hands. But this time, what you tried to do to me, I won't forgive!"

"It isn't your 'forgiveness' I want, Miss Helena. It's your life. And I will have it."

In a flash, the British woman pushed her body back far enough to be out of the path of Dante's gun, then she dropped her knife, grabbed Dante's coat by his lapels, and with all her might, pulled the man with her as she let herself fall to the ground. As soon as her back hit the floor, she used her leg to push Dante forward so that his momentum could carry him straight toward Helena like a red missile.

Helena dove out of the way as Dante careened past her and onto her bed. The blonde jumped back to her feet and spotted Christie dashing to the window. She raised Ivory and opened fire. The largeness of the gun coupled with an even larger recoil caused her shots to be wild. The rounds ripped through the wall, trailing the fleeing assassin as she leapt through the glass.

Helena ran after her and stuck her head out the busted window. She saw rain drenched streets, parked cars, and nothing else. She rotated her head up and saw the silvery outline of Christie's body suit bounding over the edge of the roof.

With a feral cry, she raised Ivory and squeezed the trigger. She anticipated the recoil that time. The gun roared to life, pumping out rounds at its full automatic rate. However, the assassin was already over the edge before Helena fired the first shot. She continued to squeeze the trigger, even though she had already burnt through Ivory's clip.

A hand grasped her arm and pulled the French woman back into the room.

"Calm down!" Dante yelled and snatched Ivory from her grasp.

Helena stared blankly into Dante's eyes.

"She…she was…she was going to…oh God, she was going to…"

Dante pulled her in and wrapped his arms around her. She was losing it, even worse than before.

"I gotcha." He soothed and held her tighter. "Don't worry, I gotcha."

And for the first time in her life, Helena cried without care of what others around her thought.

--

"That bastard! I had her! I fucking _had_ her!"

Christie bashed her palm into the wheel of her sleek, black Lamborghini. She raced down the rain-slick streets at speeds that would not have been safe for clear, dry roads. A good drive usually made her feel better if she was distraught about something, but she was beyond distraught.

She was so close to her kill, she could have practically tasted it. But that damned American merc-dog had to play 'Mr. Hero'. It was not fair, he was the one who made Helena unstable, the chance she had been waiting for. But he was also the one that snatched it away.

The oil-colored vehicle was about to ram the back-end of a semi-truck that was barely going the minimum speed limit. She yanked on the wheel. Her car lurched around the large truck and sped past it. She almost scrapped the left side of her car with the truck's cab when she pulled in front of it.

Christie cursed herself. Her anger had affected her driving skills, something she prided herself on.

"I'll kill him." The white haired woman hissed. "Before I get my hands on Helena, I'll kill her new dog."


	20. the snake and the devil

A/N: Been playin' DMC 4 (Needs more Dante) and got reminded of just how badass he can be so I hope to retooling him in this story into that badassery (I made up my own word!). Anyways, hope u enjoy, and leave your reviews please!

Disclaimer: DMC owned by Capcom. DOA and NG owned by Team Ninja and Tecmo.

Chapter 20: Twenty chapters? Already?

**Dead or Alive 4: The Devil Factor**

**Chapter 20: The Snake and The Devil**

_Outside the Tomb of the Unknown Pharaoh_

_Egypt_

_Sunday-09:22 p.m._

The sands whipped through the desert plains like a tan snow storm. The sun baked everything under it with its intense light despite almost being blotted out by the whirling sand-filled wind. The deafening roar of the winds drowned out the silence that usually accompanied a desert. Two figures wrapped from head to toe in cloth fought their way through the blinding and stinging air and entered the main entrance of the large pyramid worn by sand and time.

"It's odd that so many people suddenly want to see these pyramids." The lead figure said through his mask of wrapped cloth. His English was thick with an Egyptian accent. "Until recently, no one wanted to come here. They say this place is cursed. But all pyramids have some form of curse."

The figure removed the covering over his head to reveal a middle-aged Egyptian man with dark skin and a thick beard of curly black hair. "Many years ago, a research team came here and never returned. Everything was gone, from the people to the equipment they brought. Vanished into thin air. After that, no one dared came here."

The other figure remained silent.

"Than this man came. A black man from America and his woman. A complete fool. Thought he would succeed where trained men failed. I didn't want to risk my life for such a man." The guide shrugged. "But he had money. So I lead him to the entrance and no further, like I'll do with…"

The man trailed off for a moment before breaking down into a string of mumbling and surprised sounds in his native tongue. He paced back and forth at a place in the entrance studying something.

"What…what is this?!" The guide exclaimed. "There was a slab of pure stone right here! This is where the door was! Don't tell me that man got in! It's not possible!"

The guide watched in astonishment as the other figure walked past the threshold, still covered in wind-protecting garments, and went deeper into the forbidden tome.

"Wait, sir!" The guide called out. "There might be traps down there! Sir?!"

The guide let loose a few curses and went after him.

Despite the guide's warning, there were no traps and the path to the main chamber was clear. The guide could not help but feel a little elated over the current situation. If the American did get the door open and met his end by the booby traps that usually came with pyramids, than all that gold that the pharaoh no doubted had buried with him would be up for grabs. Sure, the client he was with might make claim, but the guide was sure that he would not miss a few pieces here or there. True, taking the gold might invoke any curse the pharaoh had put on it and normally he would respect such taboos. But times were tough and he could certainly use some quick cash.

The duo entered the main chamber. The guide prepared himself for the spectacle of a lifetime. A room filled with treasure. The two entered the vault…

…And met a room bare of anything remotely valuable.

The guide's jaw almost hit the floor. "No! It's impossible!"

The guide scurried around the chamber, peering into every crevasse to see if something was there.

"Don't tell me…that buffoon got to the treasure!" The guide wailed. "This is…How could…ARGH!"

The guide, beyond frustrated, fell to his knees and struck the ground with his fist.

"How could he have gotten _everything_?!" He choked out. "That damn American! I brought him here! He should have at least given me something…anything! A coin, a gold bar, a…"

The guide was cut off when a sword pierced his body and nailed him to the ground. In an instant, he was enveloped by blue flames.

"Quite loud for such a lowly human." Doku mused and wrenched his sword free.

"It would appear that someone has beaten us to the prize." Raidou stepped over the burning corpse that had become carbonized skeleton. "A shame."

"Now the only lead we have is that some American of African descent has it." Marller sighed in annoyance.

Bolverk stood off to the side in imposing silence.

The second figure removed the cloth that covered his head revealing a face set in stone.

"I know who has the Jewel of the Forbidden." Vergil said calmly.

"Do you?" Marller purred and appeared next to the half-demon. She draped her arms over him and rested her chin on his shoulder. "I don't suppose you feel like sharing, do you?"

"A Dead or Alive contender. Zack." Vergil coldly informed.

"And how do you know this for certain?" Raidou cocked an eyebrow.

"A large sum of money has appeared into Zack's bank accounts. Donovan's spy network has found numerous transactions of Zack selling ancient Egyptian treasures to museums, private collectors, and the like."

"If you knew this, than why did we come here?" Raidou was on the verge of growling. "Why did we waste our time instead of confronting this man?"

The Kitseu stopped a few inches from the former ninja's throat.

"Watch your tone, ninja." Doku smoothly warned. "When you speak to our master, you will show proper respect."

"Or what?" Raidou knocked the blade away. "Don't you dare look down on me, lap dog."

The Azure Flame surrounded Doku. "It appears that you need to learn your place, ninja, at the feet of our master."

The violent, freezing wind of the Emerald Ice whipped around Raidou. "I would love to see you try it, lap dog."

"Now, now, boys." Marller playfully waved them off while still latched onto Vergil. "Be nice."

"Stay out of this, wench." Raidou spat while keeping his eyes glued on Doku. "This doesn't concern you."

The demonic energies of both demons sparked as they collided with each other. The stare down continued until the tension was shattered by a single word from Vergil.

"Enough."

The energy dissipated and the two looked at their master.

"We came here because I didn't know if he obtained the treasure from this pyramid or another." He craned his neck around. "Now that I know, we shall move on."

"So thorough." Marller cooed and held the half-demon tighter. "I don't know who I like better. Your brother has spunk but you have that cold aura." She blew in Vergil's ear. "But why settle for one when I could have you both?"

"Take your lecherous claws off the master, temptress." Doku said slowly.

"I said that's enough." Vergil stated with a bit more coldness. "I will not have my generals bickering like old women."

Silence finally fell over the demon quartet. Doku sheathed his sword and stood at attention. Raidou grumbled something meant only for his ears and folded his large arms over his mighty chest. Marller dislodged herself from Vergil and took a few steps back with an empty smile on her face. Bolverk, who had not moved during the commotion, watched from a distance. Vergil turned his back to his generals with his arms behind him, holding the Yamato katana.

He had noticed that his troops were starting to butt heads more often. He trusted Doku. The former fiend had the unwavering loyalty of an actual samurai of ancient times. The others, however, he knew better than to trust blindly. Bolverk hated Sparda and since he was his son, he could feel some of that hate being directed at him. Raidou was holding up his end of their deal, power and life in exchange for servitude. But Raidou was not a man that was 'slave' material. He was too ambitious and egotistical. Betrayal could come at any moment if he showed even the slightest amount of weakness. As for Marller, he knew she was up to something. She was too quick to join and very eager to please him. The demoness was definitely hiding something from him.

"Bolverk." Vergil said.

The demon raised his head slightly at the call of his name.

"Find Zack. Take the jewel from him. By any means necessary." Vergil ordered.

Bolverk's empty sockets lit up for a moment before his form disappeared.

"I thought Donovan didn't want you to kill any of the DOA competitors." Marller reminded.

"I doubt he'll mind if one dies." He said off-handedly. "It's not like there aren't more he can obtain."

A moment of silence passed before Vergil spoke again.

"We're done here."

The Obsidian Mist encircled the remaining demons. The mist wrapped around each one before vanishing with the four, leaving behind an empty tome and a pile of ash that used to be Vergil's guide.

_Helena's suite_

_France_

_Sunday-10:32 p.m._

"And thus, with Donovan gone. I'll be able to dismantle my father's corporation and rebuild it from the ground up."

Helena finished her go over of her life's mission to Dante. After some odd tension between them over last night, the French woman decided to fill him in on her plans. She had not decided on how best to use the man, but it would be prudent for him to understand just what he was getting into.

She swiveled around in her chair behind her desk to face Dante. The blonde gave him a disapproving look when she noticed that he was laid out on her couch with his arms behind his head, seemingly almost asleep.

"Are you listening to me?" She asked irritably.

"Yeah, yeah, I heard ya." Dante waved her off. "Geeze, why do women always ask me that?"

"I wonder." She thought to herself.

"Now I have a question for you, Dante." The DOATEC President began. "A question from last night, and this time, please no smart remarks."

Dante arched an eyebrow. "Which question was that?"

"What are you?" She leveled.

"Well, I'd tell ya." He confessed. "But you wouldn't believe me."

"I saw you survive a bullet to the head." She spoke frankly. "I'm willing to go out on a limb for you."

"Alright than." Dante said in his 'whatever' tone. "I'm part demon."

No response came from Helena.

"See? Told ya."

"What type of demon?"

Dante felt a little surprise at her answer, but had a feeling that she was still not buying it. "The powerful kind."

"I see." Helena sounded thoughtful. "Care to elaborate?"

"Not really. Family stuff, you know." Dante casually said. "But if you want the short version, my old man turned on the other demons and married my ma."

Helena put her elbows on the table and clasped her hands in front of her face, absorbing what Dante said. He was right, it was hard to believe, but she did not have a better theory herself.

"Anyways, that Christie chick you told me about." Dante asked. "Think she'll come back?"

"I can guarantee it." Helena said darkly.

"What are you gonna do about her?"

Helena raised her tea cup to her lips and thought about what Dante asked. Christie had proven time and again to be a major obstacle. Her recent attack only proved how far she was willing to go. The woman had no honor, but that made her an even more terrifying foe. The British assassin had to be dealt with or she would slow down her plans. But finding her would take far too long. Instead, perhaps, she could be drawn out, with herself as bait.

She saw Dante looking at her hand that held her tea cup. She followed his gaze to see that her hand was trembling. She quickly set her cup down.

"I'll think up of something." She said rather hastily.

Dante continued to look at her for a few moments before closing his eyes again.

Her hand refused to stop shaking. The images of last night flashed through her mind, the feeling of total helplessness. Christie's violating touch. She put her hand on her face and the shivering threatened to consume her entire body.

"That bitch." Helena thought. "How dare you do that to me."

She felt a hand on her shoulder. "You ok?"

Helena jerked at the touch, like she was doused with boiling hot water. Her face filled with a fearful expression.

She relaxed somewhat when she saw only Dante. Was she so out of it that she did not even hear him get up and move next to her?

"Don't…" She shuddered slightly. "Don't touch me."

Dante paused for a moment. Then he placed his hands in his coat pockets and leaned on her desk.

"Sorry." He whispered.

"Don't be." She spoke and turned her chair away from him slightly. "It's not your fault."

A round of silence followed.

"I…I need to be alone for a bit." Helena barely spoke. "Please."

Dante nodded, pushed himself off the desk, and made his way to the door. Her voice called before he touched the knob.

"Thank you, Dante. For everything last night."

"No problem." Dante smiled and left.

When she heard the door close, she let out a shaky sigh.

Helena was ambivalent about Dante. She was furious about him. He saw her most vulnerable side and saved her like a helpless child from Christie. He was also a pompous jerk at times. He easily got on her nerves. But, as much as she hated to admit it, she was also a bit afraid of him. The son of a devil? Preposterous! Yet, his strength would definitely prove to be a very valuable asset.

But she also felt something else about him. She could not put her finger on it. Perhaps it was that she had been learning everything she could from him, watching him through video monitors and reviewing his life through newspapers and databases. Now she was talking to, working with the man. She was making a connection with him instead of observing him like a voyeur.

The blonde's mind went back to the night before. He had saved her from an experience she never thought would have happened to her. She thought she was strong, powerful. No one, man or woman, could do anything like that to her. But it did, and he had to bail her out. She hated it. She hated knowing that she owed anyone her life. Yet…she felt…glad he did. Like a princess saved by her knight. And that made it even more unbearable. She was not helpless. She would rather die than admit it.

Helena felt warmth in her cheeks. She became disgusted with herself when she realized that she was blushing over the self proclaimed 'half-demon'.

She let lose a string of French curses and slapped her cheeks.

"He's help and nothing more." She said to herself.

She began to worry that just maybe, she still had some emotion left.

_Le Maison de Bière_

_France_

_Sunday-11:17 p.m._

Dante did not know any foreign languages. Hell, he barely knew his own. But drinking at a bar was essentially a universal wisdom. He came in, said the name of a beer, got it, paid the man, and went to a booth by himself. Simple as that.

The bar was not any different than the ones he frequented back in the States, same type of drunks, same shitty music, and same 'fuck-you' attitude service. At first he thought the staff was giving him a hard time because he was a foreigner, but he quickly found out that they treated everyone that walked through the door the same way. Obviously, customer satisfaction was not their strong point.

He let out a sigh and took a swig from his pint.

"Want some company, mister?" A sultry, feminine voice beside him asked.

"Sorry, babe." Dante said without looking away from his half-empty mug. "Not in the mood."

"That's too bad, because I am."

Dante became alert when Christie sat in the seat across from him. The woman was dressed in a bizarre black leather outfit. Both her jacket and pants had a blue flame imprint on it. But what really got his attention was that she was wearing absolutely nothing underneath her jacket. He knew because she had it open, exposing her large chest that dangerously bordered on 'indecent exposure', which had drawn quite a bit of attention from the men around the bar.

Dante cursed himself. He had not recognized her voice or realized that she had spoken to him with her British accent. It should have been a dead give away considering he was in France. But he had to remind himself that he was somewhat sheltered during his visit. He was always led around instead of going anywhere on his own and he was always spoken to in English, until recently.

"Surprised to see me?" She innocently asked.

"More like baffled." Dante said.

The British woman gave a small, faked laugh. "You know, Helena isn't the only one who did her research on you."

"Is that so?" Dante slouched in his seat. His guard was still up, but so far she seemed to only want to talk…for now.

"Oh, yes." She rested her chin in her hand. "Mercenary for hire, Bain of organized crime, the most feared man in the American underground."

"I also make a mean omelet." Dante stated sarcastically. "What's your point?"

"Well, I was hoping for a nice chat. But if you must know, I was wondering if you would listen to a business proposition I have."

"And that would be?"

She narrowed her eyes. "How much would it take for you to go back home and forget about Helena?"

"Let me guess, so you can kill her?"

"Why should it concern you?" Christie pressed. "The woman's unbalanced, egotistical, and let's not forget that she tried to shoot you."

"I'm used to it." Dante grumbled. "I'm afraid I'm going to decline your offer. Nothing personal, but it's just bad for business. If word got out that I ditched a client, I'll have a hard time finding jobs. Clients are usually paranoid, have loyalty issues and all. You know what I mean."

Christie made an affirmative noise, but sounded disappointed. A moment later, a smirk spread on her face. The snowy-haired woman reached out and placed her hand over Dante's.

"Hmmm." She said thoughtfully. "I don't think I've done a Yank before."

The sexual come-ons again, just like last night. Many female would-be assassins and bounty hunters had tried such tricks on him. Get the juices flowing to a point that a man could not make out his ass from a hole in the ground. Luckily he had built up an immunity .

"Define 'done'." Dante countered. "Cause for you, I think it involves a knife and someone's throat."

The British assassin retracted her hand and shrugged. "Oh well, I tried." She took a hold of Dante's mug and stole a drink. "I suppose there's only one way of settling this."

Dante tensed for a moment when she got up and reached into one of her pockets. She placed a folded up piece of paper in front of him.

"Meet me where the map says in one hour." She said in an official tone.

"What's this, directions to your place?"

"Not quite." Christie winked at him and left the bar, swaying her hips in a suggestive matter. Dante noticed a few craned heads watching her leave.

Dante looked at the piece of paper for a moment before picking it up.

"Looks like I'll have some entertainment after all." He grinned.

_DOATEC Warehouse 05_

_France_

_Monday-12:24 a.m._

Dante waltzed into the cavernous building both knowing and not knowing what awaited him. He knew that Christie wanted a showdown, a fight to the death. What he did not know was how she was going to do it. Was she going to try to slice open his throat or pummel him with her fists? He could tell by the way she pinned and threw him that she knew how to fight. Perhaps she even knew a martial art. However, considering her profession as an assassin, he had given considerable thought that she had probably wired the place to blow the moment he set foot inside.

"Well, so far so good." He told himself when got a good few meters in the door with no explosive results.

"So, you did come." Christie said from nowhere. "You know you're a few minutes late."

Her voice echoed through out the warehouse, making it hard to determine just where she was.

"Thought I'd get a pizza, but everyone was closed." He slowly spun around, trying to find the British woman. "Don't tell me you've gotten shy all of a sudden."

"Stealth is a crucial skill to an assassin." Christie said matter-of-factly. "Otherwise we'd be no different from a run-of-the-mill thug with a gun."

"Oh, really?" Dante spoke in a mocking tone. "So, what games shall we play? I'm pretty good at Twister."

"Hmmm. How about a little something I like to call 'Marksmen'?"

"'Marksmen', huh? Never heard of it. But I'll try anything once. How do you play it?"

"We're already are."

Dante scrambled for cover behind a steel container used to house liquids when a crate behind him exploded in a shower of splinters.

"That was just a test shot." Christie said coyly. "The next one goes between your eyes."

Dante quickly deduced that the woman was hiding somewhere, and judging by the loud shot and utterly destroyed crate, with a high powered sniper rifle.

Christie cycled the chamber of her W2000 sniper rifle. She snatched the spent shell casing before it could fall to the ground and give away her position. She quickly put the casing on a nearby girder before it burned her. The weapon was custom tailored for her use and included a powerful scope. The armor piercing rounds were a logical choice as she was not sure if the man wore body armor. She was hoping that during their chat in the pub, she could have gotten closer to feel his body for a Kevlar vest or something. But he rejected her advances, proving that he was indeed a man who thought with the head that was attached to his neck.

She centered her crosshairs a little above the steel container, hoping that the man would poke his head out for a look.

Instead the man bolted out and ran toward the exit.

She fought down the disappointment she felt for the game ending so abruptly and took aim. Dante was almost three feet way from the door when she centered her sights and took the shot.

Christie was shocked when the man in red lashed out with his sword. She briefly saw the flash of her bullet caroming off the blade. Her eyes barely followed his rapid movement as his body had become a blur of red. Dante raised his two guns and fired in her direction.

Sparks flew where Dante's bullets ricochet off the girders that she used as her vantage point. She held up her arm to shield her face.

"He used that last shot to locate me." She thought. "But how in the hell did he bat away a bullet with a bloody _sword_?"

She let the sniper rifle slip from her grasp and jumped down from the girders. She landed on a raised platform surrounded by sandbags that she had set up earlier. Dante kept up the gunfire as the sandbags were pelted with large-caliber rounds. The Britain snatched a SG552 assault rifle and flipped off the safety catch. She waited for the Dante to stop to reload and launched a counterattack. Keeping close to her sandbag cover, she hoisted the weapon and squeezed the trigger. Dante weaved between crates to throw off her aim and to use the wooden boxes as shields. She anticipated his next run and lead with her shots, shooting where he would be instead of where he was. She squeezed off three rounds when he entered her sights. She saw one round strike his torso, but Dante simply continued on like nothing happened.

"That one hit. I saw it hit." She ejected the spent clip and slapped in a fresh one. "Maybe it just grazed him."

The assassin cycled the chamber and took aim. She grunted when her gun almost escaped her grasp as a bullet collided with it. She saw Dante from the corner of her eye with that damned smile from last night and a smoking pistol in his hand. She quickly dived back into her fortified position and looked over her weapon. A large hole had formed along the bolt, rendering the weapon useless. She chucked the rifle in frustration.

"Ok, he's a good shot." She thought. "A damned good one. But why aim for the gun? He should have gone for my head."

Feeling foolish for correcting her enemy's tactic for not killing her, she grabbed an Uzi and set it for full automatic fire.

The platform suddenly started to sway back and forth violently. She tried to grab something to keep herself from being flung off, but found nothing but lose ammunition and guns. The platform collapsed with a ringing tone of colliding metal bars that once served the platform's foundation.

Christie cursed and sat up from her prone position on top the toppled remains of her tower.

"Sorry to bring ya down from your high horse." Dante casually walked up to Christie with his sword on his shoulder. He was a little surprised that she was still wearing the weird leather getup from the bar, but at least she zipped up the front of her jacket. "But I was getting kinda lonely."

Christie snarled and raised her gun. Dante jumped out of the way as she let lose a volley of hot lead. She pushed a sandbag off her and took off, still firing her weapon to keep Dante pinned. So far she had changed her strategy from precision and patience to the school of spray and pray. Spray the area with bullets and pray it hit something. She retrieved a grenade from her jacket, pulled the pin, and rolled it to where Dante had sought cover. The explosion kicked up fragmented concrete and ripped open a number of crates.

"No fair, you get all the cool toys!"

She whipped her head around to find Dante behind her sporting his cocky grin. She brought her entire body around and used the momentum to toss another grenade followed by a burst from her Uzi.

The rounds ripped into the ground but did not get a chance to strike Dante as he swung at the explosive device, holding his sword like a baseball bat, before she could get her aim to bear on him. The grenade did a pop fly off the flat edge of his blade and detonated. The windows locate on the ceiling shattered. Christie fell when the shockwave hit her and lifted her arms over her head and let her leather coat protect her from the falling glass. When the sharp rain stopped, she found Dante standing over her.

She had the Uzi pointed at him in a flash, but an empty click was all that came from it.

"So that does happen in real life." Dante scratched his nose. "I mean, running out of ammo when someone points their gun at the other guy at that dramatic moment in the movies. I thought in real life that the guy that has the gun would noticed that he ran out of ammo before the moment or would have some bullets left. Kinda funny."

Christie reddened and trembled in anger, but quickly regained her composure. She looked at Dante with a mixture of conviction and a little defiance. She let the gun fall from her hand.

"Well, I gotta hand it to ya. This was an exciting game."

Christie gave a sensual smiled and unzipped her jacket. She noticed Dante's eyes drop to her chest.

"That's right, baby, keep your eye on the goods." She thought while her other hand slowly reached behind her.

Dante, on the other hand, was wondering how a woman could wear something like that and not worry about a slip up. A sudden gust of wind and she would have a 'wardrobe malfunction'.

The British woman's arm snapped up with a Berretta in her hand. A round tore into Dante's chest. The gun was snatched out of her hand before she could get off a second shot. Dante did not even look at the pistol when he tossed it over his shoulder.

Christie was bewildered for two reasons. First by the fact that Dante was still standing after being shot, he did not even flinch. She rationalized it with her body armor theory and his tough guy attitude. Second, Dante had reached out and seized her gun _while_ she was using it. Nobody with at least an ounce of common sense would take a gun from their enemy's hand while it was pointed at them and with it in the state of discharge. The mercenary was lucky he did not get a finger or two blown off.

"Looks like I win."

Christie had a smile on again, though this one was more of confidence. "I'm afraid not, you see you forgot the rules."

"Oh, really?" Dante had on a mock look of surprise. "And just what are the rules?"

"Actually, there's only one. I always win."

She thumbed the detonator she had hidden in her spare hand. The explosives planted on the girders detonated and destabilized the entire roof section. Christie sprung to her feet and dived out a window as flaming debris fell.

Dante did not move from his spot and looked up. A single thought crossed his mind. "So she did wire the place to blow. Ain't that a kick to the nuts?"

Burning metal crashed on top of him.

Christie dusted herself off and straightened her jacket. She never suspected that she would have to use her last resort, but it was there for a reason. She pocketed the detonator, although her first impulse was to simply toss the bloody thing. But the police would undoubtedly show up due to the explosion. No need to leave any evidence lying around with her fingerprints on it.

Her opinion of the mercenary changed somewhat. He was indeed a powerful man, but a fool too. He purposely took shots meant to scare or disable her, but not to kill. Twice he had the upper hand, but did not capitalize on it. She had a hard time agreeing with his role as a mercenary and a nightmare of organized crime if he was that soft-hearted.

"Goodbye, Dante." Christie smirked. "I'll make sure to give Helena an equally good time, just for you."

The sound of metal lurching and groaning filled her ears only to be replaced with the dull roar of the burning warehouse. The snowy-haired woman frowned for a moment before writing off the sound to something inside collapsing due to the heat.

The pile of wrecked metal that was once girders and rooftop erupted and flung debris everywhere, like a bomb underneath it just went off. But there was no fire or dust. In fact the sudden gush of wind dosed the flames. Christie took a step back as a figure rose from the center of the ruined building. The air around the being became distorted, wavy, like the top of a hot pavement road or the horizon of a desert valley. The thing let lose an angry, inhuman roar. Christie became numb to the world around her, not even hearing the crashing of the falling debris.

The thing stepped over broken sheet metal and melted girder beams and approached the British assassin.

Any thoughts about the thing being Dante were ground down. The thing was the same height and other similarities, but it was definitely not Dante or even a man. It had on a type of armor that melded with its flesh. Even the red coat seemed fused with its body and had an organic look. Its head looked more like a cross between a helmet and a mask. Its chest seemed to split open with a crimson light filtering through the cracks. Its skin looked like charred, smooth rock with red veins that pulsed with light.

Christie's mind went blank. The thing was a few meters away. Her feet became dead weights. It was coming closer, aimed right for her. She fell on her butt. The thing made a sound, a cross between a snarl and growl, an animal sound. She began to scoot away, but the thing kept coming. She looked behind her, spotting her car and calculated how fast she could get in, start it, and get the hell out. Probably five to six seconds, tops. It would probably be quicker if she could get her bloody hands to stop shaking. She turned back. The thing was now standing over her. Its red eyes pierced her soul and stared at her like a predator.

When it spoke, its voice was twisted, inhuman. "Should have picked Twister."

Christie blinked. The thing became enveloped in a flash of crimson light. Dante stood where the thing was a moment ago. Two bullet holes were in his shirt, but other than that, he did not have a mark on him. That smile, that stupid, bloody, arrogant smile of his was plastered on his face.

"Well I gotta run." Dante yawned. "I know, you wish I could stay longer, but Miss Helena will probably get upset if I go out with a friend and not tell her."

He spun on his heel and began to walk away. "Adios, amigo."

Christie went numb. Nothing was making sense. Police sirens snapped her back to reality. On sheer willpower, she dashed to her car, hopped in, and tried to start the engine, easier said than done with her hand shivering like it was. She slammed her fist on her dashboard, took a deep breath, and tried again. The key finally went in and her car roared to life. The Lamborghini's tires squealed as the sleek sports car disappeared into the night.

"Like a bat outta hell." Dante whistled and watched Christie's speedy getaway. "Still prefer my bike though."

Dante turned and walked back into the alleyway. He stopped a few feet in and leaned against the brick wall.

"Damn, it's been awhile since I've done that." Dante thought. "Forgot how much it can take outta ya if you're not used to it."

It had been too long since Dante had to evoke his Devil Trigger. Normally, such an action gave him a jolt of energy and boosted his abilities, but since it had to have been a year or so since he did it, he felt drained. But he shook it off. Next time he would be ready.

He stuffed his hands in his pockets and began his trek, wondering if it was too early or too late to get something to eat.

_Christie's safe house_

_France_

_Monday-2:02 a.m._

"God-fucking-damn it!"

Christie heaved her laptop with all her might. The device broke in two with pieces of plastic and electronics flying off from it.

"What the fuck happened?! He's supposed to be dead!"

She kicked over her glass table that shattered on impact. The magazines and television remote flipped into the air.

"And then…that…_thing_!" Her anger cooled into uncertainty. "Just what the hell…"

She sank into her white sofa and stuck her face into her hands. That thing boiled in her mind, consumed her thoughts. Fear. It actually made her afraid. There were times when she began her life as a contract killer where she felt uneasy and a little scared. But tonight was the first night when absolute terror took over her senses. It sickened her.

The panther nervously peaked out from the bedroom door. She became spooked when her mistress came back in a furious mood. She could smell it the second she set foot inside. Then she started swearing and breaking things. The mistress never did that before and she did not like it, it was too noisy. Now she was sad, another emotion the mistress never expressed.

She perked her ears when she heard a new sound coming from her mistress. She heard it before, but not to often. It was laughter. Her mistress had erupted into laughter that came from the bottom of her stomach.

"Oh, God." Christie managed to say between laughs. "What a rush it was."

Not once in her life had Christie experienced an adrenaline high than when she confronted the thing. She was use to being in control of the situation, manipulating her opponent until she slipped her poison in. But that thing…it blew her away. Was it Dante? Just what was he? Bullets did not stop him. She brought the bloody building down on him and he walked away without a scratch. And could he…did he…turn into that thing, that…devil?

Her laughter died down. She leaned back in her sofa and stared at the ceiling, a hand over her face. Even though her stance about Dante had been thrown for a loop, she was still in her predicament from last time. Dante was still in the way between her and Helena. Trying to get rid of him obviously failed.

"Well then," She said with a hint of excitement. "If I can't kill him…I'll just have to break him."

She chuckled. It was the obvious thing to do. Turn an enemy into an ally. If she could seduce him, make him abandon Helena, her target would be without her bodyguard and she would have her outnumbered.

And the look on the French bitch's face when her pet dog bit her hand would be all worthwhile.

Of course making Dante betray Helena would undoubtedly be easier said than done. He rejected her advances without batting an eyelash. But his wandering eyes told her that he was interested. He just had a thicker shell on, most likely from his life as a mercenary. She would have to work harder then and she loved a challenge.

Another idea hit her, one that would allow her to get close to both Helena and Dante.

It would appear that she would be a poisonous needle once again.

_Zack's house_

_United States_

_Tuesday-9:22 a.m._

Nikki stepped out of the steaming shower with a towel around her body and another wrapped in a beehive on her head. She moved to the mirror and gazed at her reflection. Beautiful, as always, but with the proper amount of blush, a touch of lipstick, and a dose of eyeliner, she would be absolutely ravishing, but not today, at least not now, maybe later tonight. She gave her reflection her most charming smile and got to work fixing her hair.

In the next room, sound asleep, was her current flame. She had gone out with many men before, but that night at the roulette table, she felt something from him. It was not the huge stack of cash he had or the expensive, and rather tacky, suit. It was his confidence, his air of coolness that drew her to him. He felt like he could conquer the world and he had the skills at the tables to do so, even if he had a goofy streak. He had amazed everyone when he betted everything he had on one number. Many thought he was stupid or just plain nuts, but to her, she could tell that he was doing this with experience, with feeling. She had even showed her trust in him by placing a small bet of her own on the same number. Of course it was still a surprise when he won.

His next venture was to buy himself his own island. Now how many girls could say that they were dating a man that had his own island? She knew she struck gold. She did not even mind him inviting all those other girls to the island. Let him ogle other women, it was her he came back to. Some women might have gotten jealous, thrown a fit, fly off the handle, but not her. Keep a man on a tight leash and he will try to break free. But give him some slack, let him feel free, and he will be and stay happy.

Just make sure he knows who holds the reigns.

Many men called her a gold digger. That was far from the truth. True, money was a concern. She would not go out with some beggar, but what she wanted was excitement and Zack offered plenty. The man loved to party and he knew how to have a good time. But he was not shallow. He had dreams. Silly dreams perhaps, but he made them come true. And he had Lady Luck on his side.

Well, most of the time.

The disaster at his island could only be described as the worst type of luck.

But she was still with him. 'Stand by your man'. That is what the old song said, right?

With her hair ready, she walked into the bedroom to retrieve something to wear.

"Zack, baby? Time to get up." She said as she opened her closet.

The lump in the bed mumbled something, turned over, and started snoring.

"Don't try to fool me, Zack." Nikki said. "I know you don't snore when you actually sleep."

Zack sat up with a hand over his eyes, rubbing the sleep out of them. The other reached for his trademark sunglasses and placed them on his head. He rose from the bed and trotted into the bathroom like a zombie.

After the morning rituals, he plopped himself in a chair with toast, eggs, and bacon in front of him. But his most treasured item of the morning was in a cup, steaming in its caffeinated glory. He downed half of his coffee in one swig and let out a satisfied ah.

A warm hand rubbed his head.

"You shaved your head again? I thought you were going to grow it out again."

Nikki sat down wearing one of his dress shirts with a few buttons undone. Damn, the woman could look sexy in anything.

"Changed my mind." Zack replied. "Besides, the Michael Jordan look is coming back."

She shook her head with a smile and bit into her toast.

A lot had gone through Zack's mind last night. He had taken the night off from his usual antics and concentrated on his dilemma. After the destruction of his island he was left with a large debt. Even his prize winnings from the fourth tournament would not have made a dent in it. He thought about going back to the tables and getting his winnings back, but he needed a battle plan for that. He had a foundation for the moment, a little something to get him by until he figured out the problem. The money he got from selling off the treasures from the Tome of the Unknown Pharaoh was a much needed relief. He bought the house with the money. Nothing fancy, just a regular, two-story, multi-garage house with plasma screen T.Vs, a billiard room, and satellite television. Not much, but it would do.

He could have used the money to help pay off his debt, but it still would not be enough and he would have been in the gutter. No, he needed that money for the tables.

Spend money to make money. That was his philosophy.

He needed to get a new Zack Island, which was his major cash intake. He had a long list of very famous and rich individuals who wanted to partake of his little slice of heaven and were willing to pay through the nose. But before he did that, he had given the girls of the Dead or Alive tournament a well deserved vacation on him filled with sun, surf, and volleyball. Though some of the girls gave him grief about it, he noticed them leaving the island after their two weeks with a spring in their step. Then the damn volcano had to ruin everything.

Now his island was sunk and he could not find another like it. It truly was a rare find, a one of a kind place. Maybe there was someway to save it. He was willing to make a deal with anyone. God, Satan, even space aliens if there were any.

"So, what've you got planned today?" Nikki asked, wanting to break the uncomfortable silence. Zack being quiet was rather disturbing for her.

Zack frowned for a moment before spreading his electric grin on his face. "Whadya think, babe? You and me are gonna hit the town!"

Nikki blinked. "But what about your debt? I thought you wanted to work on that."

"And we are. We're gonna hit every casino, every black jack table, every slot, every roulette wheel, until we break the vault! Hell Yeah!"

Nikki smiled. If any other man had said that to her, it would have been a sure sign that the man was at wits end and about to lose every cent he had. She would have bailed on him on the spot. No need to go down with a sinking ship. But with Zack, it meant instant cash. The man was a wiz at gambling. Call it magic, or luck, or instinct, or whatever, Zack had it and knew how to use it.

Zack, pumped up from his own speech, took out his new lucky charm and gave it a kiss. It was a small jewel he found at the tomb. It was not as spectacular as the other treasures he found, but according to the archeologists he talked to, it was quite valuable. Still, for some reason, he was not ready to part with it yet. It had a mysterious air around it. Nobody seemed to know exactly what it was.

But no matter, he felt something from it. He had it put on a small golden chain and he wore it around his neck. Maybe with it, his good luck would stay.


	21. unity

A/N: I've been getting a lot of questions involving Nero. I would like to say that he will NOT be involved in my fic. This fic, unfortunately, does not include DMC 4 since I made it before it was even announced. And I would rather not have to do a rewrite to include him. Sorry. Also, Nicole will not be involved either, that would make it a DMC/DOA/NG/Halo fic…sorta. This fic is hard work as it is. But I enjoy it! FYI: I'll be posting the progress of my fics on profile, so if you wanna know how close I am to posting the next chapter, you'll know.

Disclaimer: DMC owned by Capcom. DOA and NG owned by Tecmo and Team Ninja. Yadda, yadda, yadda and so forth.

Chapter 21 Slightly longer for your pleasure.

**Dead or Alive 4: The Devil Factor**

**Chapter 21: Unity**

_Hitomi's Family Dojo and Residence_

_Germany_

_Tuesday-9:29 p.m._

"When will you arrive?" Hayate asked.

A moment of silence came about as he listened to the answer.

"I already asked Hitomi's family. They don't mind. But I don't want us to stay too long. After you get here, we'll rest for a day and move to our next destination." Another pause. "We have little options left. We don't know where Donovan or Doku are hiding."

Hayate sighed. "We'll discuss this when you arrive."

Hayate flipped his cell phone close. The true ninja way was to use a carrier hawk to deliver messages between ninjas. But considering that they were currently in two different countries, it would take a hawk days or even weeks to make such trips.

He placed the device in his jean's pocket and leaned on the railing of the deck. He had just finished his latest training session with Hitmoi. She had improved considerably and knew more about fighting the creatures that she would face in the future. He still felt a little unsure about the German teen being in his war instead of doing things a normal teenager would do. But she had insured him that she wanted to fight with him.

Speaking of whom…

"How long are you going to spy on me Hitomi?" He asked while he gazed into the cityscape.

The brown-haired teen came out from behind the doorway with a blush on her cheeks.

"Sorry." She spoke softly.

He gave her a smile and returned his gaze outward.

"Who were you talking to?"

"Ryu." He answered. "He and the others should be here in a few days."

Hitomi, wearing a white T-shirt and blue pajama bottoms, said nothing.

"I'm rather envious that your parent's have such a place." He said more to himself. "It's peaceful here."

"More like boring." Hitmoi joked, getting over her embarrassment. "It's, like, ten miles from anyplace remotely fun."

"Still. I wouldn't mind living here."

"Then why don't you?"

Hayate turned to Hitomi.

"I…I mean why don't you and your family move here…" She winced when she remembered about what happened to his father. "I mean…your mother and sisters could move here…well not here in this house, but like a…well, you could live here, you'd have to ask my parents…I'm sure they'd agree…If you wanted to…I mean."

The German girl paused from her rambling when Hayate began to laugh. It was small, almost unnoticeable, but she picked it up.

"I'll have to think about it." He said and turned back to the cityscape.

He laughed. He actually laughed. Kami, how long had it been since he did that? Too long. In fact he could not remember exactly when. Hitomi's parent's lifestyle had begun to seep into him, make him forget his troubles and remember the enjoyment he had when he was Ein. Not to mention that the Karate teenager was rather cute.

"Ein." She said carefully. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course." He replied softly.

"Why do you…want to kill Helena?"

The blissful look on the ninja leader's face fell and he cast his eyes down.

"I told you that DOATEC is responsible for all this. Donovan is using the corporation to do whatever he wants and Helena is DOATEC's acting president. She is enabling him, letting him do what he wants. She is just as responsible for all this as he is. I don't want to kill her, but if I have to…then I will."

"Isn't there another way?" Hitomi asked.

He let out a sigh. "If she stepped down…maybe. But I know her. She won't do such a thing."

"How can you be so sure?" Hitmoi pleaded. "She could…"

"She has been given every chance to walk away!" He snapped. "But she hasn't! She has placed herself in the center of this storm, Hitomi! She brought this on herself!"

"Oh, Ein."

"I'm sorry." Hayate closed his eyes and placed his face in his hand. "Look, there's still time for you to walk away."

He mentally pleaded with her that she would. He still cursed himself for getting her involved. He was dirtying her, maybe even putting blood on her clean hands.

Hitomi pressed herself against Hayate's bare back and placed her hands on his shoulders.

"I won't leave you, Ein." She said gently.

"Hitomi…" He began, but stopped himself.

They stood there, not wanting the moment to end. Nothing came to Hayate's mind except how warm her cheek was against his skin. But she pulled away from him, breaking their contact. Neither knew how much time passed, but both felt like it was not long enough.

"All my defenses, my training to be detached." He thought humorously. "And she brushed past it like it's not even there."

Suddenly, she grasped his left hand that held onto the railing. He allowed her to pull him away from the deck and back into his room, thinking that she just wanted him to come back inside. She closed the patio door behind him.

"Mama and papa are out." She whispered loud enough for him to hear. "They won't be back until later."

She then left Hayate breathless when she peeled off her shirt, revealing naked flesh underneath.

She moved to kiss him, but Hayate turned his head away.

"No." He said. "Hitomi, we can't."

"Why?"

He closed his eyes. "We can't be like this. I can't allow you into my world."

"Why not?" She sounded strangely calm.

The explanation was so simply for him that he was not sure how to answer. "I told you about what happened to my clan…my family. If something like that happened to you…" He trailed off for a second. "If something like that happened to you, I would never forgive myself."

She cupped the sides of his head with her hands and turned his head to her. "Look at me, Ein."

He obeyed.

"I didn't know about us at first. I thought about how scary it would be with you." She admitted. "I was not sure if I wanted that bond we had to be replaced with this. But now that I've thought about it, I realized that you're the one I want to be with."

Hayate wrapped his fingers around her wrists and lowered her hands. "You're young, Hitomi. You still…"

"Don't." She cut him off. "Don't tell me any clichés about me having all the time in the world to find the one I love or first crushes never lasting or anything like that. I've never been more certain about anything in my life. I want you, Ein."

She was genuinely starting to scare him. "Hitomi, you might _die_. Don't you understand?"

"I told you. I am ready to face whatever it is we come across with you." She was bordering on being mad. "I am not helpless!"

Hayate did not know what else to say.

"I told you that I love you, Ein. Do you love me?"

Hayate thought about lying, breaking her heart, making her turn away now. But he did not. He gave her an answer that he felt that he would regret. But he could not hide from her anymore.

_Helena's penthouse_

_France_

_Wedenesday-1:22 p.m._

After the debacle with Christie, Helena thought it would be more prudent to relocate. She moved herself and Dante to her penthouse on top of the many skyscrapers in Paris. It was much larger and luxurious than her suite. It was like a mansion on top off a skyscraper. A multitude of rooms made up the penthouse, her favorite being the large indoor pool that had a waterfall fountain.

However, it was also her home that she and her mother shared. She moved out when her mother died and had not been back since. Too many joyous memories made it painful to live in. But she forced herself to adjust. She was running away from her past, she needed to confront it if she wanted to continue her work.

And her next order of business was to consolidate her affairs. And she knew just the person to trust to do the job.

She entered the living room, a large spacious room with plate windows that overlooked the city. The walls were white and filled with French art. She found Dante slouching in the leather couch with his feet up on the glass coffee table watching the plasma screen television. He quickly switched off the set when he realized that all the channels were in French.

"You need to get an X-box or Playstation or something in here." He said and let the remote fall onto the black cow-hide seat.

"Video games." She rolled her eyes. "You men need to realize that the world is bigger than what's flashing on the idiot box."

"Hey, it's relaxing." Dante defended himself. "Blowing away bad guys with a machine gun is considered therapeutic where I come from."

She shook her head, and leaned forward on the back of the couch. "A shooting game? How droll. What is it with you Americans and guns?"

"What's with you French and surrendering?" He countered.

She playfully nudged him, and then stopped. She was beginning to actually like him. True, he was still rude, but there was just something about him that was disarming. He was childish and would brush off her coldness with his humor and aloofness. She was used to people kowtowing before her, intimidated by her abilities, wealth, social standing, and beauty. But Dante, there was no fear in him, he did not care about titles or money or even power. Why should he? He proved to be more than just an average mercenary. He was someone who treated her as an equal, even though he was not supposed to.

He was not a friend, per say. But he was someone…special to her now. But that could not be allowed. She could not take the risk of _liking_ her help. No matter how useful he may prove, even if he did save her.

A brief flash of the terror and helplessness when she was Christie's hostage went through her mind, making her shiver unconsciously. But after that dreadful memory, the lingering warmth of Dante's body came to her, his arms around her, holding her tight. The safety he gave her. Her father rarely held her. Her mother was always ready with a hug and kiss, but those days were gone forever.

But to be held by someone other than family, to be held by a man, it brought out…feelings. Feelings that she could not…

"Hey? You still there?"

Helena jumped at Dante's call. She quickly regained her wits, feeling embarrassed to be caught up in her own thoughts in the middle of her discussion.

She gave an awkward cough and began again.

"Anyway, I have a job for you."

"Do you now?" He said.

"I've come to realize that I need to start protecting my investments. I need you to go to Japan to retrieve someone."

"Japan? Again?" He slumped further in his chair.

"Problems during your last trip?" She inquired.

"To say the least." He murmured, remembering his tangle with the demons and the conversation with Hayate that started his problems at home. "And a fetching job? Don't you have flunkies to do that sort of thing?"

"This person is very important to me." She replied in a very serious tone. "I need someone I can trust."

"Man, is this a pain." He stood up. "And who am I getting? I don't want to wander around Tokyo aimlessly again."

"Well first of all, you're going to Kyoto. Secondly, you shouldn't have any problems finding her. She lives at a geisha house. I'll make sure you have all the relevant information before you depart."

"Fine." He yawned and stretched. "Getting' bored around here anyways."

"Oh, really? And here I thought I gave you enough stimulus a few days ago."

Helena's body became ice. Dante jumped over the couch and placed himself in front of Helena. Ivory already in his hand and aimed at the intruder.

Christie leaned lazily on the doorframe, wearing the white jumpsuit she wore the night she attacked Helena. The zipper was almost down to her navel, exposing a good enough portion of her bust to reveal the fact that she wore no bra underneath. A sultry, cocky smile was plastered on her face.

"Babe," Dante started, "you do not know when to call it quits."

"Christie," Helena hissed out with as much venom as she could, "you've got brass ones to show yourself to me after what you tried to do."

"Stay cool, ice queen." The white-haired woman pushed herself off the frame and lethargically entered the room, swaying her hips. "Your knight in shinning armor will protect you from me. He's very good."

The French opera star crinkled her nose and step around Dante. "How did you get in here?"

Christie gave a small laugh and stopped right in front of Helena. "Did you really think a store bought home security system would be a problem for someone like me?"

Helena deepened her frown. "Why are you here? You can't be stupid enough to attack me like this."

"Simple. I am here to offer you my services once again, Lady Helena." She said and performed a mock bow.

Helena tightened her fist at her side. Christie used the 'Lady' title when she posed as her servant, before she revealed herself as an assassin.

"You can't be serious." Helena said flatly. "You really can't expect the same trick to work twice."

"I am serious, Lady Helena." Christie said. "Because I know what it is you're after, the destruction of DOATEC and its rebirth. A rather bold goal, if I do say so. One that will require you to get as much support as you can. You've already gotten Bayman's help, you're still on the fence with Leon, and of course you've got your secret weapon right beside you. Why not complete you collection?"

"And what do you get out of this?" Helena asked.

"You." She pointed to the blonde woman. "When this is all over, I want you."

"Kind of a steep price there." Dante smirked. "How 'bout a nice T-shirt instead?"

"Done."

Dante blinked at Helena, but kept his gun on Christie. "Now I know I did not just hear you right."

"She's right. I need all the help I can get." She admitted. "And I never planned to live after I completed my goals."

"Well, gee." Dante said. "Ain't you the optimist?"

The blonde woman let Dante's remark slide.

"Let me get one thing straight though." Helena coldly informed Christie. "I don't trust you and if you try to betray me before I rebuild DOATEC, you'll pay dearly."

Christie smiled like she just heard a joke. "Is that so? And I suppose your going to kill me if I do?"

Helena kept her serious expression when she answered. "Not me. Him." She nodded at Dante.

"Really?" Christie said. "What makes you think he can kill me?"

"I heard all about your tangle with him, how you failed miserably to kill him, and how he went easy on you." Helena took some satisfaction when she noticed Christie's eyebrow twitch. "Like you said, he's very good."

Dante watched silently as the two women exchanged glares for what seemed like hours. He gave the details to Helena about his run in with Christie, but he did not remember saying that he went easy on her.

"I suppose so." Christie relaxed her body and stretched her arms. "So, Lady Helena, what will you have me do?"

"You," Helena said, "will accompany Dante to Japan for his mission. I don't trust you yet to give you your own objective. Just keep by him."

"Very well. I'll take my leave before things become…unpleasant."

Christie turned to leave. Helena reached out and grabbed the snowy-haired assassin by her shoulder. "I told you that you can have my life, but don't you think for one minute that I'll just hand it over to you. You'll have to work for your payment."

Christie smiled. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Helena let her go and Christie left the room.

"Are you sure that was a good idea?" Dante jammed Ivory into its holster. "What if she goes after whoever it is you're sending me to get?"

"The person in question is capable of defending herself. Still, I know you can protect her if worse comes to worst." Helena said. "Keep an eye on her. See what she's really after. Christie's good, but I have a feeling that you've got an edge against her."

Dante eyed the French woman, wondering if she finally believed him about his demonic nature.

"Besides," Helena spoke like she did not like what she was saying, "she's good at what she does and I might need her services. And it's better for us to have her than Donovan or the DOATEC board."

"She could be working for both."

"I've thought of that, but Christie hates Donovan as much as she hates me, my deal is better than anything Donovan could offer her. My life to destroy his."

Dante chuckled. "You risk your life way too easily."

"My life will be meaningless after I am done with DOATEC."

"Life is what you make it, babe." Dante said. "To me, you're only giving up."

"Shut up!" She growled. "I don't need you to save me."

"Now there's a cry for help."

Helena's hand lashed out to slap him, but Dante quickly intercepted it and grabbed a hold of her wrist. He yanked on it to put her face in front of his.

"I hate onions on my pizza. I hate it when people talk more than I do." Dante said. "But what I hate the most is when people think that all they got left in their lives is to die. If I thought like you, I would have been dead long ago."

"You don't know me." She was shaking, both angry and afraid.

"I choose my fate." He said. "You need to do the same. Are you gonna wallow in your despair when this is over or are you gonna snap out of it and do something about it?"

He let her go. She pulled away, holding the wrist he held her by. She looked at him, like she did not recognize the man that stood before her.

Dante stuffed his hands in his pockets and headed for the door.

"You said you're a demon." Helena said quietly. "Demon's don't care about anything but themselves."

"I'm not that type of demon." He replied.

Helena fought back the surging emotions, the anger at his behavior and attitude, the fear of his words cutting through her, and the uncertainty and doubt that he planted in her.

"Wait." She called out.

Dante stopped short of the doorway and turned around.

"The person in Japan that you're going to get." She said shakily. "Her name if Koroko. She's my half-sister."

Helena shot him an anger filled look.

"If that whore of a woman lays so much as one finger on her. Kill her."

Dante smirked. "I'll make sure she keeps her hands to herself."

He exited the room and made his way to the elevator. He ignored the priceless vases made by artists on wooden pedestals carved by the finest wood smiths in France. Instead he let his mind go blank. He hated thinking about things. All they ever did was cause him to be frustrated. He needed to be like he was supposed to be, detached and cool.

He stopped when he saw Christie leaning on the wall next to the elevator, apparently waiting for him.

"Trouble in paradise?"

"It's not nice to eavesdrop." Dante huffed.

"I also heard your little speech. Quite compelling. Brought a tear to my eye."

Dante ignored her and thumbed the call button.

"And you don't need to worry about me. I'll behave."

"I'll bet."

An eerie silence filled the next few moments before Christie spoke up again.

"I know the stuck-up ice queen doesn't trust me, and I have a feeling that you don't either, but I finish my assignments. I am a professional, after all."

Dante did not even attempt to stifle the amused sound that came out of his mouth. "Professional, eh? You're way too flashy for my tastes."

"What can I say? I enjoy my work." She inched herself closer to Dante. "That said, when its time for me to collect my payment from Helena, I suggest you stay out of my way."

"We'll see."

The elevator doors slid open. Dante trotted in with Christie following behind him.

"Need to ease up on my threats. I need him to be on my side before I make my move." Christie said to herself. "You may be willing to fight me to the death, ice queen, but I prefer to have the odds in my favor."

The doors closed and the elevator began its long descent.

_Outside Zack's house_

_United States_

_Thursday-1:43 a.m._

Zack felt like he was on cloud nine. He parked his pristine, sunset-colored Cadillac on his drive way and jumped out with vigor. A leather briefcase in his left hand.

"Can you believe it, baby?" He practically sang. "Five hundred thousand dollars in one night! That poker table didn't know what hit it."

Nikki in a black sparkling night dress swung her legs out of the car. "I can't believe we didn't get hassled by the casino's security. That place is infamous for roughing up big winners to get back their money."

"Yeah, well, they know better than to mess with me!" Zack boasted. "And with my lucky charm, nuthin's gonna stand in my way!"

He patted his chest where the jewel laid underneath his white tuxedo.

"I thought I was your lucky charm, sweetie." Nikki pouted.

"Alright, alright, both my lucky charms." He flashed a toothy grin and draped his arm around her. "And for being my lucky charm, tomorrow, you and I are going to that new spa that opened up. You're gonna get the royal treatment, baby."

Nikki smiled and cuddled up to him. "Ah, you're gonna spoil me."

"You deserve it, hun." Zack laughed. "With you by my side, we'll be living on easy streets in no time!"

The couple laughed and sauntered up the sidewalk. Then something white caught Nikki's eye. On their lawn was a rather large dog.

"Wow, look at that, Zack!" She stopped and pointed.

"Goddamn!" Zack said and lifted up his sunglasses a second to get a better look. "That's the biggest dog I've ever seen. Reminds me of my uncle's Great Dane."

The dog looked back at them. Its snout was more protruding than a normal dog.

"It looks more like a wolf." Nikki said. "I didn't know wolves got that big."

"I didn't know Nevada had white wolves." Zack was confused. "Maybe it's a mutation or sumthin'."

Another wolf identical to the first appeared and came next to the first.

"Aww, look, it's a family." Nikki giggled.

The wolves then snarled and growled at Zack and Nikki. They slowly approached like hunters.

"Zack?" Nikki became instantly worried. "What are they doing?"

"Stay calm, babe." Zack assured. "They're just as afraid of us as we are of them." He reached into his pocket for his keys. "Let's just go inside and they'll go away soon enough. Slowly now."

The stars in the sky dimmed and went out. A thick fog encircled the house and the lawn, cutting it off from the rest of the world. The fog had a dull red color and was thick like smoke.

"What the hell is going on?" Nikki sounded frightened.

"I wish I knew, baby."

The sound of metal being crushed came from behind them. Both turned to find the front end of the Cadillac being raised. The entire car was then flipped into the air, away from the garage, and a gigantic being stepped forward. The car landed upside down with shattering glass and broken metal.

Zack was astonished. The thing had just thrown his ride like it was a child's toy.

He pushed Nikki behind him.

-Zack?-

A voice, inhuman and cruel, sounded in the Maui Thai fighter's head.

-Are you the one called Zack?-

Figuring that it was the thing talking, Zack answered. "Who wants to know?"

-I am Bolverk.- The voice spoke. –Hand over the Jewel of the Forbidden.-

"The what?"

Bolverk pointed his spear at the couple. –Don't mock me! I know you have it! You plundered it from the tomb in Egypt! Now give it to me, or I shall take your woman's pretty little head.-

"Gonna have to get through me first, freak show." Zack raised his fists.

Something plummeted from the sky and landed in front of the bald man. He looked down to see a long, thin shaft with a feathered end embedded into the sidewalk's pavement, an arrow. A small flame that was on the verge of being smothered was coming from the hole that the arrow had created.

He looked up. Two beings clad in random pieces of black, rusted armor stood atop of his roof, aiming rickety looking crossbows at him and Nikki. The arrow's points were set aflame. Their faces were obscured by the shadows cast by their helmets, but red orbs glowed where their eyes were. Between the parts of their armor, Zack could make out limbs that were far too slender, almost bone-like.

With the white wolves creeping closer on one side, the monstrous Bolverk on the other, and the two things on the roof, Zack found that they were effectively trapped. There was no place to run or hide and fighting them would be difficult enough without having to worry about his girlfriend's safety.

"What are we gonna do, Zack?" Nikki pleaded.

Zack grimaced. "Keep calm, babe. I'll think of sumthin'."

An idea struck Nikki. "Wait! He said he wanted the jewel of…whatever it was! Your lucky charm! That's what he wants!"

His face scrunched together as he thought about it. "You sure?"

"Think about it! We sold everything else we got from the tomb, except that jewel!"

"Hell, if he wants it so bad, he can have it!" Zack said and removed the necklace.

A loud clang of something striking metal sounded from above them. One of the things from the roof fell onto the ground with a missing head. The missing appendage bounced off the roof and landed in front of the wolves that curiously sniffed it before swinging their attention to the roof.

Zack and Nikki also moved their sights skyward. A lone figure with long hair moved toward the second being. The thing raised its crossbow and shot off a flame-tipped arrow. The arrow did not even come close when the figure swung around it. The figure with long hair got up close and struck the being clad in armor in its side with his leg. The being stumbled and swung its crossbow like an axe. The figure with long hair intercepted the crossbow by raising his arm up to act like a shield. The long-haired figure turned himself around with his back facing the being and lashed out with two piercing kicks that struck the being in the midsection and head. Zack noticed that the long-haired figures movements were flowing but also somewhat staggered and awkward, like a drunkard. The being in armor spun into the air and fell off the side of the roof.

Zack blinked when the long-haired figure jumped down in front of him and Nikki.

"Brad?"

The Drunken Master walked/stumbled up to Zack. "Zack! It's been awhile! How have ya been?"

"What the hell are you doing here? Not that I mind, you know."

"Let me see, my master came to see me, told me to go do sumthin'…or was it look for sumthin'? Anyway, I left the bar, went down the street…." A completely lost look came over Brad for a moment as he trailed off before he shrugged. "Well the rest gets kinda hazy after that."

Nikki groaned. It looked like their savior was too plastered to be of any real help.

"So, what's up with you? Wanna hit the bars?"

Brad knew English, but his accent plus his slurred speech made it a tad difficult for Zack to follow.

"In case you haven't noticed, we're in the middle of something!" Nikki hissed.

"Oh…Oh, I get it!" A sloppy, goofy grin spread across Brad's face. "Didn't mean to interrupt your romantic night. I'll just get outta your hair and…"

"Not that, you idiot!" Nikki exploded. "Can't you see what's going on?!"

Brad stood silent for a moment before he spoke. "You want me to join in?"

Before Nikki could throttle him, the wolves had crept close enough to attack. They become blurs of white, streaking toward the humans like demonic missiles. Without looking back, Brad snapped his foot out behind him, catching the demon under its jaw. Zack caught the movement of the second wolf and shot his fist out in a straight powerful enough to break concrete. Both wolves were thrown back and tumbled across the slick grass like paper caught in the wind. The wolves pushed themselves up and shook off their blurred vision.

"Your dogs are a little rowdy." Brad scratched his scalp. "Maybe you should have 'em fixed."

"Those ain't our dogs, man!" Zack said. "They're with _that_ thing."

Brad followed Zack's pointed finger to Bolverk who stood motionless, absorbing what was going on.

"Wow. He's big."

"And trying to kill us!" Zack snapped.

-Fools.- Bolverk said. –All I ever get to fight are complete fools.-

"Now let's not get to name callin' here, buddy." Brad said, totally unafraid.

-You may have beaten two Pillagers by yourself, drunkard. But let's so you take on a whole army!-

The earth rumbled. Cracks spread across the street and raced across the driveway and lawn. Green light poured out. Skeletal fists wearing bits of old armor punched out of the ground. Abnormal skeletons clawed out of the dirt with red fires in their empty sockets and old, chipped weapons in their hands. Dozens of demons shambled closer to the three humans, somehow making creepy groans and bloodthirsty growls without vocal cords.

"Oh, gimme a break! What the hell is this, a cheesy B-horror flick?!" Zack said. It did not look like giving the thing, Bolverk, the jewel would stave off his wrath.

Nikki trembled and felt tears of fear sting her eyes. She clung to Zack.

Zack placed a hand over hers. "Don't worry, baby. Nothin's gonna happen to ya."

She looked up into his eyes. He gave her a wide, toothy smile. "You're my lucky charm after all."

Zack stepped out with Brad Wong right besides him. "So, what'd ya think? I got the left if you got the right?"

"Works for me." Brad limbered up. "Just don't slack off and make me have to clean up after ya."

Zack laughed. "And don't you throw up on my lawn, either."

"No worries there. Did that before I got here."

The Maui Thai fighter shook his head. Together, they charged the horde of demons.

_Hitomi's Family Dojo and Residence_

_Germany_

_Thursday-2:14a.m._

Hitomi groaned and looked at the alarm clock. The red digital displayed a time that she rarely been awake for. She sat up on the bed, between being awake and being asleep.

She remembered the feeling, staying up all night, whether she wanted to or not, thinking about her and Ein. Debating if she should continue treating him like her older brother like her head told her to, or to seek another type of relationship with him like her heart screamed at her.

But that was not the case that night. She took the chance and got her answer.

She smiled and ran a hand up her arm. She could not believe how she managed to be so calm when she confessed to him. Before she did, she was almost too nervous to enter his room. But once she saw him, her fear seeped away. Maybe it was the confidence he brought her through their training or perhaps the feelings she had kept under control finally taking control. In truth, she did not care. They were together now. That was all that matter.

Mama and Papa would be pleased. He would be actual family in the future.

She flexed her hand and felt the muscles underneath her skin tighten and flex. She was getting stronger, reaching her top shape. She would be able to fight along side Ein like she promised. And this time, she would not be a dead weight that dragged him down.

She jumped slightly when something touched her shoulders. She relaxed when a pair of hands slowly slid down her arms trailing behind warmth. The hands came to a rest when they encircled her torso.

"Can't sleep?"

Hitomi shook her head, a faint blush on her cheeks. "No. Just woke up."

Her hand traveled along Hayate's lean, muscular arm. Her father's arms were somewhat hairy, but Hayate's arms were smooth, almost like hers.

Hayate slightly tightened his hold. In his youth, he would have felt uncomfortable holding a girl's hand. When he got older, he managed to control those emotions. He knew better than to get flustered over a woman. He took women seriously. The female ninja in his clan were skilled and professional. Those that were not ninja were mothers and wives that had garnered respect within their families. As head of the clan, he was focused on his duties, never about the opposite sex, even when his family was looking for a suitable spouse.

But that did not mean he did not know the feel of a woman. There were…instances in his life where he had gotten close to a woman, but in the long run, they never felt that they could be together. Hayate never abandoned any of the women he had been with, they just…drifted apart. Those were stories he felt best left forgotten.

Yet, he could not help but feel like he was betraying her. He promised himself to make sure that they would never become lovers. But…he did not know what came over him. The anger and rage that he felt had become a well within him, something that gnawed at him. But she calmed him and peace was what his soul sought.

A ninja was supposed to be more than human, but she made him feel utterly helpless.

"Ein?" Hitomi asked quietly.

Hayate kissed the back of her neck, causing a slight moan to escape her lips.

"Yes?"

"Are…are you tired?"

The Japanese man closed his eyes. "A little, I guess."

"…Do you…" Hitomi lowered her head slightly. "Do you wanna go again?"

Hayate was caught off guard for a moment but quickly relaxed and even gave off a small smile. "If you feel up to it."

There were no lights, but Hayate's eyes could make out the German girl nod her head. She turned her head and pressed her lips against his. The two fell back into bed.

_Outside Zack's house_

_United States_

_Thursday-2:17 a.m._

Nikki watched in amazement as Zack and Brad battled the demons. She had watched her lover fight before in matches and against the occasional thug that thought he was better, but this was different. Unlike his opponents in the tournament, they were after his life. However, unlike the times he fought off thugs, Zack was not holding back. He was delivering death blows, shattering bones, basically turning the things that were undead back into corpses. She had to admit, she felt rather flattered that Zack would go so far to protect her, but at the same time she felt scared out of her wits. These things were everywhere and were not showing any fear or remorse over those that had fallen. They just stepped over the remains, continuing the assault.

Brad kicked at a demon's legs before performing a controlled fall, wiping his legs out that sent the demon on its back. The Drunken Master laid on his side with his head propped up by his hand in a relaxed posture. A Ravager charged from behind him, twin axes held waiting in the air. By springing to a handstand, Brad connected his foot with the demon, causing its head to pop off and the body to flip back. Two other demons attempted to trap the Chinese man between them. Brad swung his leg around, knocking the one behind him off its feet. He completed his rotation with a knee-jerk kick that struck the demon in front of him. Brad stood in a swaggering position with one foot off the ground and his arms in a sort of martial art's pose. The demon quickly recovered from the kick and stabbed its sword forward. Its opponent effortlessly leapt over the blade in a rolling motion and brought his foot down over the demon like an ax. The demon was planted into the dirt. Brad stood on the demon's helmet with one foot and brought the other down on its neck, breaking it like dry paper mâché.

Zack unleashed a punch that turned a Ravager's skull into powder. The bald-headed man knew better than to strike their armor, instead he concentrated on the areas that were exposed.

A demon swatted at Zack with its shield. The spike at the center of the shield cut Zack's tuxedo, but missed his skin. The demon brought its sword down, hoping to split the man's head like a melon. Zack countered by snapping his leg up in an attempt to disarm it. Instead, Zack took both the sword and the demon's entire forearm and hand off its person.

"There may be a lot of these lil' bastards," Zack smirked and took out a Ravager behind him with a powerful backhand, "but damn, they go down quick!"

Brad also took note of the demon's weakness. True, they were stronger than a normal person, but he and Zack were far from the 'normal' range.

Something shot past Brad's peripheral vision, something white.

He turned around just in time to see one of the white wolves in mid leap, aimed right for him. Its jaws opened to reveal long, glistening fangs that could easily tear out his throat. He kicked the demon wolf on the side of its head, causing it to flip away from him.

Brad called out, hoping to warn him.

The second wolf was already in the air before Brad could even get out the first letter of Zack's name. The wolf rammed into the Maui Thai fighter and pinned him to the ground. Zack instinctively grabbed the wolf by its lower jaw and the top of its head before it could plunge its teeth into his neck. With a jerk, he snapped the wolf's neck and kicked it off of him. Zack flipped back to his feet, ready for the next attack.

The wolf stumbled back to its feet, its head swaying back and forth, limply. Sickening pops and cracks came into Zack's ears as the head wobbled and snapped back into place. The wolf growled and turned its pure white eyes back at its prey.

Zack was stupefied. "You gotta be shittin' me."

Nikki saw movement in the sky and looked up. A small meteor shower sparkled across the dull red that used to be the night sky. She found it odd that the shower could be seen since the star-filled sky had been blotted out by the fog that came with the…things that were attacking her lover. She felt panic race through her heart when she realized that the meteor shower was actually a deadly hail of flaming arrows that were launched into the sky and had begun their descent back to the earth.

"Baby!" She screamed. "Above!"

Zack looked up, totally bewildered. He spun on his heel and dashed away leaving the Ravagers in the dust as the arrows rained down. Zack let out a frustrated yell as he weaved between the fiery projectiles before he rolled out of the area of bombardment. When he looked back, his entire front law had become a flat pin cushion. The bodies of Ravagers were laid out, riddled with arrows that engulfed them in flames.

"How heartless." Nikki thought. She had grown numb with the bizarre events that she witnessed.

Zack pushed himself up to his feet. Brad moved next to Zack, both of them between Nikki and the battlefield.

A large form emerged from the fires. Bolverk stood before the humans like a nightmare-incarnate. The two wolves appeared on either side of him. A column of demons with crossbows came up behind him

-The Jewel of the Forbidden. Give it to me.-

"Like you'd let us go if we did." Zack smirked. "I know your type. You'll kill us either way."

-Your not as stupid as you look, human- Bolverk raised his spear. The Pillagers behind him took aim.

An object streaked down from above and detonated in the center of the demon formation. Silver knives quickly came after the explosion, piercing the demons where their armor was absent.

Bolverk, and the humans looked up to see four figures standing atop the roof.

"Sorry, Bolverk." Lucia said, holding a Throwing Dart in her hand. "But you'll be leaving this place empty handed."

"That is, if we let you leave." Lady leveled the Kalina Anna at Bolverk.

Rachel slung her war hammer across her shoulders and Gen Fu stood with his arms crossed, glaring at the monstrous demon.

A fifth figure came from behind them, one wearing a silver costume.

"You were right, they did go after Zack." Lucia said to the other figure. "Thanks for your help."

La Mariposa smiled. "No problem."

_The Devil's Library_

_Herein lies the bestiary of the demons in this tale so far_

Pillagers-The reanimated remains of bandits and raiders of medieval times. Armed with crossbows, they provide long-range support for the main fighting force of the Army of the Fallen. Their arrow barrages have been known to cause flash infernos.

The Army of the Fallen-The reanimated remains of medieval warriors. Forged from the bitterest of battles and the most brutal wars during the dark ages, they have been known to fight amongst themselves when no enemies are present. To be able command them as a whole is remarkable, to say the least.


	22. the orb of souls

A/N: Summer vacation, y'all! And Ninja Gaiden 2 coming out soon, hurray! Just so you all know, I'm still gonna be working on my fics over the summer. Gonna get a summer job, but I doubt it'll keep me from my passion! Anyway, keep on reading and reviewing. It pleases me.

Disclaimer: DMC owned by Capcom. DOA and NG owned by Team Ninja and Tecmo. You know the drill

Chapter 22 So much left to do still

**Dead or Alive 4: The Devil Factor**

**Chapter 22: The Orb of Souls**

_Outside Zack's house_

_United States_

_Thursday-2:17 a.m._

La Mariposa twisted herself around a Ravager and transferred her center of balance to her right foot. She turned her body into a centrifuge, striking the demon three times with her right leg. The demon corkscrewed into the air and landed in a heap. Four Ravagers leapt at the luchadora, coming at her from all sides. With a smile, the masked wrestler planted her hands on the dirt and spun her legs around, knocking the demons swiftly out of the air. She pushed against the ground and flipped back to her feet just as a flaming arrow punctured the dirt. She spotted a Pillager atop the roof. It pumped its crossbow, putting a new arrow in the shaft. Like magic, the arrow lit itself. La Mariposa put her hands on her hips and shook her head with an amused smile. The Pillager took aim. With a swift jerk, La Mariposa kicked a Ravager corpse. The corpse twisted into the air like a rag doll and bashed into the Pillager. Both tumbled from the roof.

Lady bounded over her defeated Ravager and landed in front of two of its 'friends'. From her knelt position, she thrust the barrels of her twin Desert Eagles into their open mouths and squeezed the triggers. The demons' heads became miniature grenades and showered Lady in dust and bone fragments. She snapped her sights around to a hulking thing encased in metal lumbering to her. She unloaded the remainder of her clips at the Carnager. Sparks flew where lead went head to head with demonic metal, but nothing penetrated. The spent guns bounced off the ground when Lady abandoned them for something with a little more kick. The Kalina-Ann spewed out a rocket followed by a plume of exhaust smoke. Lady blinked in surprise when the demon merely sidestepped out of the rocket's path. The double headed battle axe the Carnager dragged behind it left a long deep gash in the dirt. The demon whipped the axe around in a huge arc. Lady ducked under the weapon and charged before the demon could attack again. The demon found itself suddenly looking down the receiving end of a double barreled shotgun.

"Lady found a soft spot." Lady smiled. She had her sights on the small opening for the eyes on the helmet.

The shotgun sent buckshot exploding into the demon's helmet. The helmet survived the shot, but the skull inside was reduced to debris. The demon fell like an anvil.

"Not too bad." Lady blew on the smoking barrel.

A Carnager, beaten and broken, suddenly careened past her and rammed through the wall of Zack's house. She looked back to where the demon was thrown from to see Rachel tearing through the Carnagers' otherworldly armor.

"I could be better, I suppose." She sighed.

Rachel brought the bladed end of her hammer around and cleaved a Carnager in half. She snapped the hammer back, this time catching a Carnager with the spike, puncturing its helmet. The demon became stuck on the golden instrument of death and was waved around like a cloth doll on a string as Rachel continued her onslaught. The Carnager became dislodged when Rachel slammed the hammer into a cluster of Ravager's. Two Carnagers, who saw Rachel's battle feats, stood motionless before her.

"What's up?" Rachel asked, barely fatigued at all. "Scared stiff?"

The demon's clanged their weapons together in a sort comradeship/intimidation tactic, and then charged the blonde woman.

"These guys don't scare easy." Rachel hefted her weapon. "Good, I hate cowards."

Lucia let loose a number of Throwing Darts. A Pillager stumbled back, riddled with the metal projectiles, and fell off the roof. She moved her arm around, decapitating two Ravagers with her Cutlaseer. She used a Ravager as a stepping stone and leaped into the air. Two Ravagers tried to intercept her, but with two flashes of steel, they were carved apart. She landed in front of another Ravager, preformed a leg sweep, and pierced the demon's chest before it hit the ground.

Gen Fu slammed his fist into the spine of a Ravager, breaking it with ease. A second demon attempted to slice off the Xynyi Liuhe Quan master's head. Gen Fu arched his back to avoid the decayed weapon. He felt the blade brush his nose. He snapped himself forward and connected his open palm to the chest plate of the demon. Gen Fu leaned forward enough for Brad to leap over him and slam his foot into the demon, causing it to break apart like a piñata.

Brad bumped his hip into another demon. However, the bump was like a boxer's punch that took the Ravager off its feet. Brad laced his hands together and gave Gen Fu a platform to jump from. The elderly Chinese man went into the air and came down on the demon like a bomb, crushing it. Gen Fu calmly stood and brushed himself off.

"Not bad, old man." Brad slurred in their native tongue. "I was worried that you were too slow for this shit anymore."

"I may be old, but I am still twice the fighter you are. Besides, a drunkard has no right to condescend others."

"You got me there." Brad smiled and, without looking, kicked his leg up behind him, knocking a Ravager's head clean off. "But I'm not your average drunk."

"I suppose not." Gen Fu replied.

Zack had taken the role of bodyguard for his darling Nikki. Thanks to the others taking the brunt of the assault, he only had to deal with the occasional straggler. He had just finished bashing a Ravager into the ground and readied himself for the next opponent.

"Hey, baby?" Zack called back. "How you doin'?"

Nikki was pressed against the front door of the house. She was holding herself and shivering.

"I'm surrounded by skeletons with axes and swords that wanna kill me. I'm fuckin' terrific."

"Hang on, babe, it'll be over quick." Zack said and dodged an axe swipe.

"Please be over quick." He said to himself and struck the demon with his fist.

The demon fell and struggled to stand. He heard Nikki again, but with the roar of the battlefield that used to be his front lawn made it hard for him to understand what she was trying to say. He turned to her, only to see the leaping form of one of the white wolves mere inches from his face. Reflexively, he tried to twist away, but the jaws of the wolf clamped down. He heard fabric tear when the wolf shot past him. He completed his escape, stumbled a bit due to surprise, and returned to his fighting stance.

The wolf landed, trotted a few more steps forward, and turned its head around. Something small and shiny twirled from a chain in the wolf's mouth along with a piece of torn white fabric. Zack looked at his chest to see a hole in his white tuxedo.

The wolf bounded to its master and placed the necklace in Bolverk's hand. The demon's suddenly stopped their fighting and fell back.

"Shit!" Lady said venomously and turned to Zack. "Why the hell didn't you protect it better?"

"Like I'm gonna risk my girl's neck over a stupid jewel." Zack replied, angry as well.

"Do you have any idea what that it?" Lady countered.

-The Jewel of the Forbidden.- Bolverk said whimsically and yanked the golden chain free from the jewel. –That makes two.-

With demonic strength, Bolverk knocked aside a rocket speeding straight at him. The rocket drunkenly tumbled around before it struck the earth and detonated harmlessly.

Lady snarled and lowered the smoking Kalina-Ann.

-You are far too anxious for death, humans.- Bolverk said coldly. –I would be glad to butcher the lot of you, but I have the prize.-

"You're not going anywhere!" Rachel stepped forward and let the head of her hammer fall on the driveway pavement, causing thick cracks to form. "Now hand over the jewel before I grind you and your flunkies into dust."

-Big words from a little girl.- Bolverk closed his fist around the jewel. –Worry not. You shall all die, soon enough.-

The red fog that surrounded Zack's property came apart and dissolved. A sudden gust of wind shot through the area, turning into a cyclone that enveloped Bolverk, the wolves, and the demons. The cyclone soon calmed into a gentle breeze, revealing emptiness where the demons once stood.

"Damn." Lucia hissed. "We screwed up again."

"This is all your fault!" Lady pointed an accusing finger at Zack.

"The hell you talkin' about?" Zack said, obviously confused.

"Now's not the time, Lady." Lucia somberly placed the Cutlaseer back onto her body. "Besides, we all failed."

Lady let out a deep exhale and ran a hand through her hair. "What are we going to do now?"

"Excuse me." Nikki came forward, still shaking and her voice unstable. "But what the fuck is going on?!"

"And look at my house!" Zack held his head with both hands when he examined the damage his home received. "It looks like a goddamn wrecking ball went through it!"

"Perhaps we should give Zack and Brad a go over of recent events." La Mariposa said. "I think we'll have enough time to before we head out."

"Alrighty then." Brad said in English. "But wherever we go better have booze, I need a drink."

Luica smiled. "I think we all do."

_Diamond X's_

_United States_

_Thursday-3:03 a.m._

"Thanks a lot, man." Zack said and shook hands with his friend. "We only need to be here for a little while, I'll get a motel later."

Zack's friend, Diamond X, was an average looking African-American man dressed in a purple muscle shirt with a black leather jacket and a single golden chain necklace. The two men were outside the VIP room. A thick slab of pine acted as a door with the initials DX written on an emblem the shape of a diamond.

"Hey, bro, I owe ya way more than this. When I first started this place, hardly anyone came. But when you became my DJ, it went from dead to poppin'. Without you, my dream would have been some fast food joint and I would've been out on the street." Diamond X patted Zack on the shoulder. "Just tell me what ya need and it's yours, man."

"I don't suppose you could turn back time to before my house became ground zero."

Diamond X laughed. "Sorry, man, not my specialty. But how 'bout some drinks on the house?" He began to back away. "Now if you'll excuse me, I gotta catch up on some paperwork."

"You? Paperwork?"

Diamond X shrugged. "I know, it sucks. Whoever tells ya that runnin' their own club is a walk in the park is givin' ya shit, man."

Zack shook his head and entered the VIP room. Everyone was seated in large red velvet couch shaped in a semi circle around a large circular steel table. The bass heavy music from the dance floor was muted by the soundproofing. Unlike the rest of the club, the VIP room was calmer, meant for close, intimate interactions. But in a pinch, it worked pretty well as a meeting room.

The sunglasses wearing man took a seat besides his girlfriend who had Zack's jacket around her shoulders. She had stopped shivering, but still had her foul mood. Lisa was next to her, who had changed out of her La Mariposa outfit and donned a simple T-shirt and jeans. Lucia, Lady, and Rachel also exchanged their battle clothes for civilian attire. Gen Fu and Brad sat at the other end.

"Alright." Zack said. "Now can anyone tell me why that thing, Bol-whatever, two wolves, and a bunch of skeletons went after me, trashed my home, threatened my girl, and made off with a jewel, _my_ jewel?"

Lady leaned forward, placing her arms on the table, and gave Zack a look of scrutiny. "Are you sure you wanna know? They got what they came for. I doubt you'll ever see them again. This can be just a nightmare that you'll forget."

"Yeah, like I'm gonna just forget all of this." Zack countered. "I wanna know."

"This doesn't really involve you, Zack." Rachel said.

"I think what happened tonight got us involved." Nikki said.

"I suppose so." Lucia admitted. "Very well, I will explain."

Lucia took a deep breath and made herself a little more comfortable.

"What attacked you tonight were demons. The skeletons are demons, the wolves are demons, and their leader, Bolverk is a very powerful demon."

"Demons?" Nikki gave a laugh that was choked with distraught. "Really?"

"Do you have a better explanation?" Rachel replied.

Nikki glared at the blonde woman, but offered no other alternative.

A woman wearing a leather-one piece dress entered the room and set out the drinks they had ordered: A mug of beer for Zack, Assorted cocktail drinks for Nikki, Lisa, Lucia, Lady, and Rachel, and a Chinese imported wine for Gen Fu. A tall bottle of tequila was placed in front of Brad, no glass. The waitress took her leave. Brad noticed that all eyes were on him.

"What?" He asked innocently. "Never had tequila before, wanna see what its like."

Rachel shook her head in astonishment. "That stuff will turn your stomach inside out and back again."

"Sounds like a challenge." Brad smirked.

"So Bolverk wanted my jewel, why?" Zack tried to get the conversation back on track.

"Not Bolverk, there's another demon at work. One that's pulling all the strings. His name is Vergil and Bolverk is just one of his minions. We already know of one other."

"Another?" Nikki interrupted. "You're telling me there's more than just that…monster?!"

"Correct." Gen Fu spoke for the first time in a while. "The other is called Doku. He attacked my temple to reclaim a second jewel. He also commands another army of demons."

"Great. Just great." Nikki sounded like she was close to losing it. "So we got two demons controlling demon armies now. That is just fuckin' spectacular!"

Zack placed his arm around Nikki to calm her. "You said they follow this dude called Vergil. Who's he?"

Lucia squirmed slightly. "I've never met him, but I have a friend who has on more than one occasion. The short version is that he's a half-demon. He's the power hungry type. No matter how much he gets, he wants more, and we're betting that's why he wants the jewels."

"So these jewels, they have magic or sumthin'?" Zack asked.

"No, not of themselves. They're just keys that unlock the door to the power. Vergil has two now, but he needs all three. The first one, the Jewel of the Forgotten, was hidden in Gen Fu's temple. The second one, the Jewel of the Forbidden, was hidden in a tomb, the one you plundered. The third, the Jewel of the Forsaken, is still at large."

"The power you guys are goin' on about, what is it?"

Lucia pressed her lips together and prepared herself. "No one seems to know the whole story, but it starts thousands of years ago, when demons roamed this world freely, when humanity was not at the top of the food chain. After awhile, the humans tried to fight back, but with the gateway open, more demons would come to replace the others."

Nikki furrowed her brow. "Gate? What gate?"

"It has many names, but in a sense it's a doorway between our world and theirs. See, long before that, the demon world and ours were one, but somehow they became separated. One light, one dark. We got the light, they got the dark. But the split was not complete, hence the gateway. So the demons could hop on over to our side anytime they wanted. Demons are greedy by nature, they have their own world but they want ours as well. Particularly their king."

"They have a king, too?" Zack asked humorously. "I'm bettin' he had to be a real badass to have that title."

"He was. And they _had_ a king. He got dethroned, but that's another story." Lucia waved it off. "Anyway, the fight against the demons was an uphill battle. To make matters worse, the strongest, nastiest demons that the humans killed were reincarnated by the demon king. Probably because replacing them would've taken too much effort. These demons were even learning from their mistakes, became craftier, stronger. The humans' numbers dwindled while the demons' kept pumping out more demons. So, the humans did what humans do best, adapted. If they couldn't kill off the demons, then they would imprison them."

"So, they made a special type of prison, a crystal ball, the Orb of Souls. Whenever a demon was killed, they would use an incantation, spell, or whatever they had to trap the demon's soul from going back to the demon world and placed it in orb."

"So they had a prison, big deal." Zack said. "Couldn't the demon king just make more?"

"Oh, he did, but powerful demons like Bolverk aren't what you call 'common'. The demon king was losing high class demons faster than he could replace them. The humans were losing warriors too, due to bloody wars, diseases, and old age, yet they were holding their own. But there was a catch. You see, nothing lasts forever in the human world, and that was especially true for the orb. It was getting full."

"Couldn't they just make another one?" Nikki said.

Lucia shook her head. "It wasn't that simple. You see it took a lot of effort to make the first one. It was carved from a sacred crystal, one of a kind. It also went through a long and intense purification ritual. Like I said, we don't know the whole story, but what we managed to get from some of the scraps of information, it was a real pain in the ass to make. So they decided to only imprison strong demons within it so that the lower class demons that were everywhere wouldn't clog it up. Anyway, in the long run, their war was resolved by something else."

"Whaddya mean?" Zack inquired.

"One of the demon king's lieutenants rebelled against him, sealed the demon king in a sacred vault, and closed the gateway." Lucia smiled nostalgically. "But that's another story."

"So another demon solved the problem, huh?" Zack looked into his raised mug. "Bet no one saw that comin'."

"Well, with the demon king taken care of and the gateway shut, the war became much easier to fight. But the matter with the Orb of Souls took another bad turn. Like I said earlier, the orb was getting full, which lead to a problem no one anticipated. Thousands of high class demons' souls swam through the orb, collecting, merging with each other, combined in their hatred for humanity and their imprisonment. Their power evolved into something else, a collective soul if you will. The human's feared that the orb would break and the collective soul would be freed."

"So what?" Zack said. "The demons' souls get lose, big deal! What can they do without a body?"

"Even a demon's soul is dangerous, Zack." Lady scolded like an angered school teacher. "Ever heard of possession? Well, that's one of the many fun things they can do."

"The humans turned their attention from fighting the demons to the orb. Priests, monks, holy men, and anyone else with spiritual power tried to purify the orb. Nothing worked. So, the human's decided to make a place to hold the orb so it couldn't cause harm to anyone, the Temple of Redemption. In it, the Orb of Souls was placed in a center of charms, wards, and whatever else the human's could scrounge up to hold the souls in the orb at bay. The room was sealed away and the temple locked. The jewels used as the temple's keys were scattered across the globe, the temple itself was built in a desolate place where no man would go. Time passed. The location of the jewels and the temple itself was lost. After a while, they were even forgotten."

"But somehow, Vergil found out about the legend. He's assembled an army, recruited several high class demons, and is searching for the orb." Lady cut in. "If he finds it, it's game over, for all of us."

"Wait a sec, here." Zack sounded confused. "Just what will happen if this Vergil guy gets the orb? Didn't ya say that it was dangerous?"

"Very. There's only one reason I can think of as to why Vergil is after such a relic." Lucia paused dramatically. "He wants to make the collective soul into a Devil's Arm."

"A what?" Zack became more confused.

"There is a way to turn the souls of powerful demons into weapons, Devil's Arms. It's very difficult and almost impossible to do, but it's been done." Lucia explained. "Normally, one soul can be made into a Devil's Arm. But if the legends were right about the souls in the orb becoming one, then that one soul has the potential of being the most powerful Devil's Arm of all."

"I've seen some Devil's Arms control a specific element." Lady added. "Imagine a weapon controlling all of the elements: fire, water, wind, everything. Hell, it might control time for all we know. The possibilities are endless."

"But that's something we won't let happen." Rachel downed her whiskey sour and slammed the empty glass on the table. "Vergil's not getting what he wants without a fight."

"So, what? You guys are superheroes?" Zack arched an eyebrow.

"Not quite." Lucia smiled. "We all have our reasons for being here. My clan was formed to protect humanity from demons."

"Clan?"

"Yes, my clan helped the demon that rebelled against the demon king. We're a race of half-demons."

"Half-demon, you?"

"Oh, yes." Lucia raised her martini to her lips.

"We're sort of in the same business." Lady nodded to Rachel. "I'm a devil hunter and she kills fiends."

"Fiends? Is that like a certain type of demon?"

"It's complicated." Rachel said. "Believe me, you don't wanna know. But sufficed to say, one of the demons that follow Vergil used to be a fiend. He and I have a history together."

"I'll take your word for it." Zack mumbled. "Are you part demon too?"

"Nope, part fiend."

"Of course." Zack shook his head and looked at Lady. "Are you part something?

"Nope." Lady smiled. "I'm one hundred percent human. Not all of us in this line of work are freaks." She noticed the mean looks from Lucia and Rachel. "Um, figure of speech."

"Now, you, I know." Zack pointed an accusing finger at Lisa. "What's your part in this, Lisa?"

"This goes far beyond simple demons and orbs." Lisa said in a matter of fact tone. "Vergil has made some friends besides demons. He's in league with DOATEC."

"DOATEC? Why?"

"I have a few theories." Lisa mentioned. "But I'm certain that Donovan is the one behind it."

"Who the hell is Donovan?"

"He's the lead professor of DOATEC. Fame Douglass was the head of the company, but you could call Donovan its heart. Well, the company's greedy, black heart. The man's obsessed with making the perfect bio-weapon." Lisa placed her head in her hand and looked at Zack. "I'm surprised you didn't know this. Aren't you a Dead or Alive participant?"

Zack shrugged. "Jus' cause I fight in their tournament doesn't mean I know who or what they are in that detail."

Lisa had to agree. She doubted that Tina, Eliot, or any of the fighters that weren't in as deep with DOATEC like the ninjas, Helena, Baymen, and herself knew such things.

"Anyway, I used to be work for DOATEC, specifically Donovan. But after I realized what he was doing, I could no longer be apart of it, so I pledge to stop Donovan's plans, whatever they may be."

"Is that why you put on that stupid outfit and prance around like some porn star?" Nikki snidely commented.

Lisa glared back at Nikki. "You should be thanking me. I was the one that lead the others to Zack. Without me, you all could have died."

Lisa took pride in Nikki's stunned face.

"I still have access to Donovan's files. A little program I put into the DOATEC mainframe before I quit. I found out about the jewels, though not the particulars about them until now. I also found some warnings posted about Lucia and the rest. So I figured that the enemy of my enemy was my friend. I got together with them, they told me about what they were looking for, and I directed them to you."

"How did you know I had the jewel?" Zack was stumped.

"DOATEC keeps close tabs on every DOA participant. Besides, every time you got on the headline news for your little winning streaks, you flashed your so called 'good luck' charm to all the photographers. It matched the photos they have of it. Well, computer generated images of them based on ancient stone carvings. DOATEC really did their homework on this one."

Nikki turned her glare at Zack. "So in a way, this is your fault."

"What about you, old timer?" Zack asked Gen Fu nervously, trying to change the subject. "You start hunting demons yourself?"

"I told you, my temple was attacked." Gen Fu said coldly. "My apprentice was injured. My granddaughter was put in danger. I am with them to claim vengeance on the abominations."

Zack leaned back a bit, put off by the bitterness in the Chinese man's words. "Okay." He looked at Nikki who seemed equally uneasy.

"The only one here that we're not sure about is Brad." Lisa cast an inquisitive glance to the Drunken Master. "What's your story?"

"My master sent me on another quest to find the Jewel of the Forbidden. And since I screwed up, I'm gonna drown my sorrows in this." He raised the tequila bottle, showing some of the liquid had disappeared.

"What're you gonna do now?" Zack asked.

"Dunno. Since there's a third jewel, I think I'll look for that, since the wind bag'll probably send me after it if I go back."

"And how are you gonna do that?" Gen Fu looked at Brad from the corner of his eye.

"I can't talk about it now, I'm too drunk." Brad sighed.

"No, your not." Zack retorted. "I've seen you drunk, you're not even close right now."

Brad put his lips around the tequila bottle's mouth and pointed the bottom at the ceiling, chugging the hard liquor. Everyone watched in stunned silence. When the bottle was three fourths empty, Brad slammed the bottle back onto the table.

"Now I'm too drunk." Brad smiled.

Zack shook his head. "So now what do we do?"

"We?" Lady asked surprised. "Your part in this is over, Zack. Go back to your happy life of high stakes gambling, fast cars, and lose women."

"Excuse me?" Nikki asked, offended.

"I didn't mean you." Lady rolled her eyes in embarrassment.

"Well, fuck that!" Zack said. "I didn't teach myself Muay Thai just so I can get rolled over by horror movie rejects and a pair of dogs! I'm in, too!"

"What?" Lady was taken aback.

"You heard me! Besides, you said the world will end if this Vergil guys gets the orb, right? Well the chance to save the world doesn't just come knockin' on your door and trash your house, right?"

"Hun." Nikki said shakily. "If you do this, I _will_ leave you. You understand?"

Zack looked troubled for a moment before a smile came across his face. He leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers. Nikki's shivering melted away when the shock vanished and she deepened the kiss. After a few seconds, he pulled away.

"Oh." Nikki moaned slightly. "Now that wasn't fair."

"All's fair in love and war, baby."

"Oh, get a room." Lady crossed her arms and looked away.

"I don't think it's a good idea for her to be with us." Rachel pointed out. "No offense, but she's just gonna be a target."

"Point taken." Zack agreed.

"If you think that I'm just gonna sit here by myself, then I really will leave you, and no kiss is gonna stop me!" Nikki threatened.

"Don't worry." Lady smiled. "I know a place where she can go."

_40 miles north of Florence_

_Italy_

_Thursday-7:32 a.m._

The hills were pure green with the occasional patches of white and red flowers. He chose a place miles from civilization. The dirt road that snaked its way through the almost untouched land only coughed up the occasional car full of meek farmers coming back from their day in the big city of Florence. Not one came up his dusty driveway. Good, considering he never expected anyone except for someone that had a bone to pick. The secretly placed booby traps were made for just such people.

Leon wiped the sweat off his brow and stood up from his garden. The tomatoes were coming in nicely, although he wished he could say the same for his cabbage, smaller than he had hoped for. He batted away the dirt that caked the knees off his coveralls and gently stepped over the carrot patch to get to the small vineyard. He never made his own wine before, he always wanted to try. The grapes were coming in nice and ripe, but it would be a few more days before they were ready.

He heard the crunch of tires on loose dirt. An Italian, peach-colored car rolled up his long driveway and came to a rest a few meters from his simple farmhouse. The car had the license plates of a rental agency. The driver was the car's only occupant. A man stepped out, tall, dressed in a dark button up shirt with odd shapes and patterns printed on it. Leon walked around the obstacles in his garden and came up to the man who met him halfway. Leon took out a white cloth and wiped his soil stained hands.

"Why am I not surprised?" The man said. "Killing isn't the only thing you're good at, I suppose."

"Every man needs a hobby." Lean stuffed the cloth into his back pocket.

The man nodded at his garden. "Nice looking tomatoes."

"Thank you. The trick is in the soil. I don't use that store bought stuff. I make it myself with manure."

The man cocked an eyebrow.

"From cattle." Leon flatly replied. "One of the farmers up the road lets me use some of his in exchange for using some of my land to let his cows graze."

"You sure have taken to the simple life."

Leon eyed the man for a moment. "What do you want, Bayman?"

The Russian took off his sunglasses and tucked them into his shirt's breast pocket. "I was wondering if you thought about Helena's offer." Bayman's Italian was flawless.

Leon shook his head with a smile. "That woman is something else. Sending one of her goons to pressure me." He spat on the ground and gave the darkest glare he could muster. "Go scamper back to your master and tell the little queen that I don't like the way she works."

"She didn't send me." Bayman was not fazed. "I came here on my own accord. Ms. Douglas's plans are going to get heated soon. I need someone I can trust to work with."

"You…trust me?" Leon said half-surprised.

"Not with my life. I'm not an idiot. But I do trust your skills and experience. I'm a professional. I know when to play the odds and when it's time to have someone watch my back."

"You expect a lot from me. Why are you so into this mission and, more importantly, why should I care?"

"This is personal for me. This is revenge against a former client for trying to put me into earlier retirement. And you should care because this war's going to affect you and everyone else associated with the Dead or Alive tournament."

Leon chuckled. "There're a lot of wars going on right now. Which one is she apart of?"

"The one between her and Donovan. DOATEC's going to be plunged into a civil war. The fighting hasn't started yet, but be well assured that the bullets will start flying in the near future." Bayman folded his arms over his chest. "Now pay attention, old man, because this part is important. If Donovan wins, he gets DOATEC: its power, its wealth, its resources, the whole kit and caboodle. And he's going to use those nifty prizes to get what he wants. The Dead or Alive fighters. That includes you. Now, you can go into hiding, vanish off the face of the earth. But keep in mind that Donovan will use DOATEC to pressure governments to find you for him. You'll be the most wanted man alive and with your past deeds, they'll have no problem painting you as the bad guy. By the way, I doubt you'll be able to grow vegetables in whatever hole you'll be in when the shit hits the fan."

"Why would he want me or any of the other fighters?"

"Because we're raw material to him. He wants to make the ultimate bio-weapon and he'll use us to make it. I don't know about you, but I'll die before I let him strap me on a table and cut me open like fish."

Leon frowned. "You make a good point. But I'm still not convinced."

"Really? And just what would it take to make you convinced?"

"I think you know what." Leon slammed his fists together and cracked his neck.

"Well, I wasn't expecting a friendly handshake from you." Bayman unbuttoned his shirt and tossed it aside. A white tank top gripped at his abs and pecks.

Both men crouched and looked each other down. One was waiting for the other to start. Somewhere, a sparrow sung a few notes.

Bayman struck first. He jabbed his foot down on top of Leon's knee, causing him to flinch in pain. The assassin continued with an uppercut that popped Leon into the air. The Russian struck him with a jab before the silver haired man fell. Leon scrambled to his feet before a foot in Italian loafers slammed into the dirt where his spine was. Leon planted his knee and then his fist into Bayman's stomach, pushing him back.

The assassin's retaliation was fierce. Leon's face was caught by Bayman's straight punch. He picked the Italian up by curling his arm around his waist and brought Leon down onto his knee, almost cracking his spine. Leon rolled back up to his feet without a hint of injury. His feet were quick when he bashed his boot into Bayman's face and brought it down in an axe kick over his head. Bayman ducked under Leon's follow up punch and tried to perform a leg sweep. The mercenary caught the leg and flipped Bayman over him like a hammer, slamming him on the ground. Leon pounced on Bayman's back, grabbed his arm in a vice attack, and snapped it.

Leon stood up, triumphant. "You lose."

Bayman slowly returned to his feet, his arm limp at his side.

"Next time, it'll be your head." Leon nodded at the rental car and turned away. "Get out of here before I regret doing more to you."

Leon stopped and turned around when he heard a sickening crack when Bayman snapped the bone back into place. Not even a grunt of pain escaped from the Russian's lips.

"Don't get full of yourself, merc." Bayman said coolly. "That's a rookie mistake."

Leon launched a punch, one that Bayman was ready for. He spun the older man around, pinned his captured arm to his back, and wrapped his thick arm across Leon's neck. Bayman hoisted Leon up, spun him around a few times, and then tossed him. Leon flew into the tomato plants. Leon pushed himself off, covered in the fluids of tomato pulp.

"Oops." Bayman said mono-toned and straight faced. "My bad."

Leon charged Bayman, ducked under a high kick, and tackled his opponent, sending both men to the ground. He mounted Bayman and started raining blows upon him, finishing it with a punishing head butt to the bridge of Bayman's nose.

Leon got back up, only to be brought down again when Bayman intertwined his legs with Leon's feet and yanked away his balance. Soon, Bayman had a hold of Leon's arm and broke it with one sharp tug.

Both men rolled away from each other. Leon grasped his arm and reset it. He clenched his teeth when the pain hit.

"Now we're even, old man." Bayman said.

Leon looked at him wide eyed…and began to laugh. Bayman offered a chuckle.

"All right, all right, I'm convinced." Leon rolled his injured arm and walked up to Bayman. "But we're not even." He picked a fragment of a tomato off his sleeve and let it drop to the ground. "You owe me some tomatoes."

_Hitomi's Family Dojo and Residence_

_Germany_

_Thursday-1:17 p.m._

"How about their complex in Hong Kong? China's not as strict with policing companies as the other first-world nations."

"No, too obvious." Hayate shook his head. "Besides, DOATEC hasn't announced where its new main office will be located."

Ryu sighed disappointedly and swirled his coffee around. The day was too nice to sit inside, so the ninjas decided to have their meeting outside on the balcony. They sat in green, steel lawn chairs around a circular patio table.

"Maybe we're going at this the wrong way." Ryu offered. "Perhaps we should be going after the people behind DOATEC instead of the company itself."

"Donovan has labs everywhere. He could be anywhere." Hayate sipped his coffee.

"I mean besides him. We need to go after the executive board. We kill Donovan, the board will get control and continue on. But if we take them down with Donovan, there will be a major power vacuum. DOATEC will be in disarray, leaving us in a favorable position."

"True, but keep in mind that we don't know where the board is located or who they are. I've tried asking my contacts, but nearly everyone's become tight lipped about DOATEC's inner workings ever since the attacks. Those that do talk are low on the totem pole, their information is worthless."

"Plus we are still in a pinch when it comes to resources." Ryu pointed out. "Even with our new allies, we're still not a hundred percent."

The screen door slid open. Hitomi carried a tray full of coffee cakes with Lei Fang right behind her.

"Hey guys, want some?" Hitomi set the tray on the table. "Hot from the oven!"

Hitomi asked in English. Everyone decided to use the language when it was discovered that Lei Fang and Jann Lee did not know German and Hitomi and her family did not know Chinese. However, English was the common language that all parties knew.

"Maybe later." Hayate said.

"We're not interrupting anything, are we?" LeiFang asked.

"Not really. We're just going over a few things." Ryu took one of the cakes.

"I see." Lei Fang took a seat. "Out of curiosity, where are we going next?"

"Slow down there, princess." Jann Lee slipped into the other seat. "We just got here, let's get over the damn jet lag, god only knows how many time zones we've past." The Chinese man crossed his legs with one ankle resting on his knee. "By the way, Hitomi, can you tell your dad to stop askin' me to participate in his little demonstration matches for his students? Just not my thing, you know?"

"Sorry about that." Hitomi bowed slightly. "Papa's been really serious about the dojo lately. I think he thinks that it would be a learning experience for his pupils to see how karate fares against other martial arts."

"To answer your earlier question," Hayate interjected, "I had planned on us going to Master Gen Fu's temple. However I've received word that Gen Fu has departed for unknown reasons. Apparently, there was a battle. There were signs of damage throughout the temple grounds."

Jann Lee leaned toward Lei Fang and whispered. "How the hell would he know that? That old geezer's a hermit. No one knows what he's doing half the time."

Lei Fang shrugged and whispered back. "Maybe it's a ninja thing."

Hayate lifted up a cheap, disposable cell phone. "Actually I have a friend of a friend who delivers food and provisions to Gen Fu's temple. He gave me a call a few days ago." Hayate glanced at the two Chinese from the corner of his eye. "Hardly a 'ninja thing'."

Jann Lee and Lei Fang blushed and looked away.

"Is Gen Fu alright?" Hitomi asked.

"He left with some strange women. Eliot was supposed to be training with him, but was not seen. My informant guesses that he must have gone back to England."

"Well, if he's no longer on the list, then who's next?" Lei Fang said.

"I was hoping that we would go to America and then Europe. But I fear that we must abandon those plans and jump to the next step."

"Why?" Jann Lee leaned back. "Somethin' up?"

"The fight at Gen Fu's may have been perpetrated by DOATEC." Ryu informed. "If that's true, than DOATEC is starting to move more aggressively. I fear that we are out of time. We may have to start our strategy phase."

"What can we do?" Lei Fang said.

"DOATEC has become more secretive. We need more information and there's only one person that knows what we want." Hayate clasped his hands together. "Helena."

Hitomi opened her mouth to say something but quickly closed it before anyone took notice.

"She has accessed to all the data we could need to bring down DOATEC." Hayate continued. "We should continue our training until we can make arrangements to meet with her."

--

After the meeting and dinner, Hitomi invited Lei Fang to try out the Japanese styled bath they had at the dojo. Her father wanted the dojo to be Japanese down to the finest detail. Hitomi could not help but love the bath and had let her friends try it out. Lei Fang and she were good friends and she had always wanted to show it to Lei Fang. The older girl agreed, but only on one condition, one that gave her pause. Hitomi would have to bathe with her.

"I have to tell you, I'm still not really sure about this." Hitomi said from the Furo, a Japanese styled bathtub that was more deep than wide.

The bathroom was pristine, clean to the point of being sterile. The floor was slabs of perfectly square polished marble with bamboo paneled walls. The bathroom was seldom used, meant for show. Her friends and she tried the bath before, but never together.

Hitomi had finished washing herself and was sitting in the heated water with her knees to her chest. Lei Fang sat on a small plastic stool. Soap suds covered her body as she scrubbed herself clean.

"Oh, don't be like that. You're part Japanese, right? Don't Japanese people usually bathe together?" Lei Fang said with her back to her.

"One, you're Chinese and two, only family members bathe together. And even then it's not really common."

"My father's mansion only has western styled bathrooms. I always wanted to see what the Japanese version was like. Besides, what are you so antsy about? It's not like we've seen each other naked before. Remember the shower rooms at Zack's Isla…"

"I thought we all agreed to never speak of that place again." Hitomi interrupted.

"Sorry." Lei Fang dumped a pan of water over her head to wash away the soap and then slipped herself into the tub in front of Hitomi. "But I wanted to do this so we can have some private girl talk. Particularly about you and Hayate."

Hitomi startled for a moment before looking away. "I…I don't know what you mean."

"Bullshit!" Lei Fang poked her. "You've been making googly eyes at him the entire time I've been here!"

Hitomi's blush threatened to consume her face.

"I knew it!" Lei Fang giggled. "Come on, tell me everything! What have you two done?"

"I…we've kissed…and…"

"Kissing's good. Real good." Lei Fang grinned. "What else have you've done. Have you gone to second base yet?"

Hitomi became extremely embarrassed. Then a thought hit her.

"What about you and Jann Lee?" Hitomi asked slyly. "What have you two done?"

"What!?" Lei Fang was taken aback, not ready for a counter attack. "We're not like that, not by a long shot!"

"You call bullshit on me, I call bullshit on you. You two might bicker, but even you have to admit that it's more like a couples fight."

Lei Fang became flustered, angered, but most importantly, rendered speechless.

"Tell you what, if you can get Jann Lee to kiss you, I'll tell you how far Ein and I have gone. And I don't mean that you just plant one on his cheek. On the lips. _And_ it has to be consensual. It takes two to tango, you know."

Hitomi stuck her hand out to Lei Fang. Water dripped from it while steam rose off. "Deal?"

Lei Fang sank deeper into the tub, until her nose almost touched the water. She blew frustrated bubbles while she glared at her friend. A moment passed.

Lei Fang's hand shot out of the water and grasped Hitomi's hand. She raised her head out of the water.

"Deal." Lei Fang pumped Hitomi's hand.


	23. pasts collide

A/N: In case you haven't heard, Tomonobu Itagaki, the head producer and director of Team Ninja and created of the DOA series, has left Team Ninja and Tecmo. Go to wikipedia to get the whole story. Is this the end of DOA and the new Ninja Gaiden series? I hope not.

Disclaimer: DMC owned by Capcom. DOA and NG owned by Team Ninja and Tecmo. Just in case you forgot

Chapter 23 I think Christie should get her own game, but better than that Tekken Death by Degrees b.s.

**Dead or Alive 4: The Devil Factor**

**Chapter 23: Pasts Collide**

_DOATEC private jet-Non stop flight to Kyoto_

_Currently over mainland China_

_Friday-1:22 p.m._

Dante hated airlines: crowded aisles, noisy brats, and sitting next to people who stunk so bad that it was amazing that they did not realize it themselves. But that seemed not as bad as his current arrangement, sharing a small jet with a crazed killer who was so wrapped up in secrets and lies that her real self had probably suffocated long ago. She was so blatantly obvious about being up to something, but trying to trying to figure it out was like trying to nail Jell-o to the wall. She was a slippery one.

The jet's cabin was built more for comfort than for passenger load. The seats were more like couches and there was even a table for meals. The interior was classy, but simple. Knowing Helena's super-lavish lifestyle, he was half-expecting chandeliers and fancy pieces of art.

"It's been awhile since I got the royal treatment." Christie lazily said with a glass of wine centimeters from her lips.

She wore the black jacket/leather jeans combo from the battle at the warehouse in France. Thankfully, she had zipped up her jacket but, knowing her, there was nothing underneath.

"When I was with Helena, it was private flights, palace-like hotel rooms, and gourmet food all year around." She spoke like it was her duty to explain. "It's rather sickening to see other people get treated like gods, but it's heaven to be one of those people."

Dante, resting his head in his hand and an ankle on a knee, stared at her with a slightly annoyed face. "I'm more of a beer and pizza type guy myself."

She laughed softly. "We all take pleasure in our little vices."

More than half a day would be spent this way, little back and forth's with the snowy haired assassin who, he was assured, would double cross Helena and him at a moment's notice. He wanted to be back at the shop, order out, and maybe play some pool.

That dream was shot down when he realized that his home was currently under the rule of four females. One who acted like his mother, one that looked like his mother, one that tried to jump his bones, and another that wanted to get married.

Rock and a hard place, so to speak.

"So, how long have you been a mercenary?"

Dante lowered his eyelids. "And you care why?"

Christie shrugged. "Just making conversation."

There was a certain gleam in her eyes, the one held by women who liked being the one who hunted for love instead of waiting for it to come to them.

"I don't know. It's been awhile. Close to a decade I guess."

"I killed my first target when I was sixteen."

There was a lull in the conversation, one attributed to surprise.

"I won't go into details, but I was a girl that needed money, bad. I could have turned tricks or become some stripper, but those usually lead to a semen stained death in an alley way or the trunk of a car. Not the way I want to go out." Christie traced the edge of her glass with a slender finger. "I met a guy, he wanted some one dead, and I said I'd do it."

"At first, he thought I was kidding, but I got him to tell me who it was he wanted whacked. I found the guy, and after some…persuasion, he took me to his hotel room. You men, always looking to shag anything that comes your way. The wanker almost popped my cherry by the time I did the deed." She slid a thumb across her neck. "I was rather sloppy the first time, but I got better with practice. Lots and lots of practice."

Christie sounded too…enthralled with her work. But there was something to her voice, something that he almost missed, but it was there. He had heard it before.

"So how much did ya cry?"

"Huh?" Christie froze. Her bedroom eyes replaced with disbelief that he asked such a question.

"You may be cold hearted now, but when you were sixteen? And your first time killing? I bet you threw up too."

Her leg shot up and she pointed a motorcycle boot at his groin.

"I also learned She Quan, it's a martial art based on the snake and usually geared to strike at the weak points."

Dante's hand suddenly grasped her ankle. "I do believe I hit the bull's eye."

Christie scrunched her face together and yanked her foot away. "It's not nice to go into a woman's past."

Dante shrugged. "You're the one that brought it up."

There was a pause, both stared each other down like animals fighting over territory. Then Christie changed by smiling and shaking her head like she heard something stupid. Her flirty and distant façade returned.

"How many woman have you bagged, Dante?" She looked at the deep red contents of her glass. "You're a handsome man. I bet you've had your fair share."

"I'm not a dog, lady. Besides, it wouldn't be gentlemanly if I bragged about every chick I've had relations with."

"Gentlemanly." Christie repeated more sarcastically. "You?"

"I have my moments."

Christie set her glass down and stretched. She heaved her chest out, making her breasts squish against the tight black leather jacket. She was putting too much effort into it.

"I've only done it with two people before. One was just a bloke I met that turned into a one night thing, but the other…" Christie said huskily. "The other was this hot girl. It was rather magical. Shame I had to kill her."

Dante huffed. "You're lying. About those two, that little story about when you were sixteen, about everything."

Christie smirked. "Can't get anything past you, can I?" She pushed her bangs away. "Why should I tell you about my real self when you won't tell me about yours? That's just plain idiotic."

"But you still cried when you killed someone for the first time."

Again, her face betrayed surprise and rage, but only briefly.

Dante looked around. There was not flight attendant and the pilot and co-pilot were locked away in the cockpit. How could Helena leave the two of them alone?

"So, you have that 'gauge-a-person-by-looking-them-in-the-eye' thing? Well guess what? So do I." She leaned closer. "And I can tell that you're not someone who plays by other people's rules." Christie returned to her relaxed posture. "And let me tell you, Helena is a real ball buster, metaphorically speaking. Her way or the highway. Woman treated me no better than a slave."

Dante had past clients that acted similarly. Control freaks that thought they knew everything. They tried to boss him around, but they lightened up when they realized that there was no controlling him. That and he always got results despite their rantings.

"I think Helena and I see eye to eye on some things." Dante smiled. "Maybe the reason she was such a dick to you was that she just doesn't like ya. Probably that whole French/English thing. Heard the two don't get along to well."

"Charming." Christie replied flatly. "But I have an idea. One that makes us both winners."

"Your track record with 'ideas' ain't too inspiring."

She made a sound that was a cross between amusement and indifferenence. "I'm suggesting a partnership. After Helena's little plan is done, I think it would be…beneficial for us to continue to do business with one another."

"I'm not too sure about that. I don't play well with others. And from what I've heard, neither do you."

"I'm not asking that we do everything together. Think about it. You're abilities are in high demand in the States. Imagine the type of work I could get you with my connections. I've gotten contracts from all over the globe. It wouldn't be too hard to find mercenary jobs. And with the world the way it is now, people would pay through the nose to get you."

"Not interested." Dante folded his arms behind his head and laid himself on the couch. "I hardly leave my city, let alone the country."

"What about those little incidents at the Vidu Mali islands? Or what was once Mallet Island?" Christie countered. "Hardly a hop, skip, and a jump away from your city."

"Those were…special cases." Dante hated skirting around the facts that ascertained to his real job. He just was not the sneaky type. Why pick a lock when you can just bash down the door?

She jumped on him, almost making Dante empty out his lungs. She swung a leg over him and startled his stomach. Her leather jeans creaked as it settled. She propped herself up with her hands on his chest.

"Listen, you're the best mercenary money can buy and I'm the best assassin. Together, we would be unstoppable, invincible."

"You sound like a super villain." Dante muttered. "We gonna hold the world ransom with a death laser too?"

"Will you turn down the smartass level for one moment and listen? I know that you've turned down other groups, most likely because your one of those blokes that thinks they're top dog. The only difference between you and them is that you've got the skills to back up your attitude. But I'm betting that your little run-ins with crime bosses have left you isolated." Christie played with one of the buttons on his shirt. "Many of the big timers want nothing to do with you and now most of your clients are single, private individuals. And considering how bloody picky you are, it's a miracle that you get any money at all."

"And I thought Helena took too much of an interest in me." Dante flashed his cocky smile. "I've had no trouble payin' the bills. Besides, I'm not in it just for the money."

"Me neither. I enjoy the hunt, the tracking, tricking, and trapping of my target. But that's a personal thing, so I don't know what it is you like about what you do." She leaned in, almost touching noses. "But I do know what the bloody hell you are, demon." She pulled back, smiling victoriously. "Did a little deeper search after our little tussle in France. How else did you think I would know about Mallet and the Vidu Mali islands?"

Dante did not say anything. She was on a rant and he figured it was better to let her talk; see where it all would lead.

"Now, I'm not expecting an answer right this instant, but I do want you to think about it. Think about the money, the thrill, but most importantly, I want you to think about me."

Her hand slowly undid the zipper of her jacket. Dante wondered when she would pull out the big guns, no pun intended. What bugged him was that all the women he met that were in the Dead or Alive tournament always had huge racks. There were some differences. Christie's bust was probably as big as Tina's and bigger than the ninja girls. Just what type of hormones were they feeding these girls? Of course that was assuming that they were real.

"You're my type of guy, Dante. Not too stuck up and not too weird. A nice balance. Some of the blokes I come across during the tournaments are either shit crazy or have sticks up their asses. Except for this one blonde boy. He was adorable. Thought about making him my pet. But he was also a fighter, a real handful. So I let him go." She ran her hands across Dante's chest. "And don't get me started on the men I meet during my job. Total wankers. Horn dogs."

"You're not very good at the sweet talk, babe." Dante arched an eyebrow. "In fact, you're creepin' me out a little."

"Well, I prefer actions to words." She said and eased off her jacket. With her thumb and fore finger, she held up the jacket off to the side and let it drop.

Dante's eyes immediately wandered. He was right about her not wearing any underwear.

"Why don't you put the brakes on…MMPHH?!"

Dante's words were strangled off when Christie crushed her mouth against his. Her tongue plunged between his lips and took over. There was such passion that Dante almost lost his head, but he quickly regained his wits. There was passion, yes, but nothing else. He seized her by her arms and pushed her off.

"Jesus, lady, give a guy some warning." Dante panted. "Thought you were gonna suffocate me."

Christie, with her own patented smug smile, licked her lips. "You a member of the mile high club?"

"I hate planes and clubs."

"You'll love this club." Christie whispered huskily and tore open Dante's shirt.

_Hitomi's Family Dojo and Residence_

_Germany_

_Friday-3:08 p.m._

_._Lei Fang fidgeted with the hem of the skirt Hitomi lent her. All she brought with her from China were a few of her favorite cheongsams, Chinese-styled dresses that she liked to wear during the tournaments. She had planned on buying a few German clothes during her trip, but Hitomi swore up and down that what she had in her closet would be what she needed. After a few hours of mix and match, Hitomi proclaimed she found the perfect outfit for her. A blue sleeveless shirt with a very low neckline and a white skirt that was uncomfortably short.

"Can't you find anything a bit longer?" Lei Fang nervously asked.

"Are you kidding? You're gonna slay 'em with that." Hitomi grinned from ear to ear and gave a thumbs up. "Jann Lee won't know what hit him."

"If a breeze goes by, I'll flash everyone around me!"

"You never had that problem with those dresses of yours during the tournaments and your high kicks and flips. I mean, really, guys would watch just for a peek of white. That's why I wore jeans." Hitomi leveled her gaze. "So what's wrong? You're wearing a clean pair, aren't ya?"

Lei Fang glared, but her red cheeks made the glare cute instead of intimidating. "This is for the bath, isn't it?"

Hitomi shrugged with an innocent smile. "Now don't worry about a thing, all you have to do is ask Jann Lee if he'll come with you to grab a few things for my family."

"What if he says no?"

"I doubt it. I mean, he's staying here under our roof and eating our food, so he should feel obligated to help out every once in a while." Hitomi crossed her arms. "And if he doesn't, guilt him into it."

Lei Fang rolled her eyes.

"Oh, and one more thing, your braid job." Hitomi pointed to Lei Fangs hair style. "Lose it."

"What? Why?"

"Cause that's a girl's hairdo. If you want to get anywhere with Jann Lee, he has to see you as a woman."

"I dunno…wait a minute, I'm older than you! You can't tell me about 'woman' stuff, I'm supposed to say it to you!"

"First off, you're splitting hairs over a year's span. Hardly a difference. And second, being a woman isn't about how old you are physically, but how you act and what you've done."

"Hmph!" Lei Fang turned away. "We'll see who the real woman is after this!"

Hitomi shook her head and handed Lei Fang a piece of paper with a floral border. "Here's a list of what to get, where to get it, how much it is, and how to ask for it in German. I doubt any of the shop keeps know Chinese." Hitomi smiled wolfishly. "I also added the location of a nice ice cream place that you and Jann Lee can stop by to, you know, talk."

Lei Fang furrowed her brow. Since when did Hitomi suddenly become a match maker? During her prodding in the bath, she was like a meek girl and she was the 'all-knowing' woman, so how the hell did she turn the tables on her? It had to be Jann Lee, which, she hated to admit, was her one real weakness. If it was anything else, she could put up the mature front. Some called her a 'proud little princess' but she knew how to act in front of others. Her father and mother taught her the fine art of courtesy. But when it came to Jann Lee, she was flustered with strong, overpowering emotions. She felt so angry at him for his narrow vision that centered solely on battle and his cockiness that jumped over the border of obnoxiousness. She felt competitive towards him, wanting to beat him, show him that she was a strong fighter, just like him. He probably saw her as a headstrong girl that needed to be protected, but she wanted him to see that gender played no part in a true fight. But the emotion that made it all so unbearable was the faint lingering of…attraction. She was no fool. She saw how desirable Jann Lee could be, aside from his personality. She wanted to know more about him, to find out if what she saw was the true Jann Lee.

She would find out.

--

The ice cream place Hitomi picked out was a small shop owned by a pair of retirees who had been married for over forty years. Picnic tables with umbrellas were strewn about a grassy strip of land. There were a few people that graced the tables, all of them couples making doe eyes at each other. The place was an obvious meeting place for lovers. Lei Fang felt like she was set up. However, this was what she wanted, so there was no point in backing out now. She just hopped that Jann Lee, despite his thick headedness, would not see through the little charade.

Jann Lee did not dress up as much as Lei Fang did. He wore a simple cotton T-shirt that advertised Hitomi's family's dojo and jeans. The shirt was undoubtedly on loan. It was no real secret that the Chinese man's wardrobe was limited to martial arts garb, dress clothes for his job, and sweats for training. The man had no common sense to bring, or at least purchase, everyday clothes.

"I haven't had ice cream in over two years." Jann Lee said amused while holding a soft served ice cream cone. "Don't know why, though."

"Yeah…" Lei Fang trailed off and mentally cringed. She was so used to berating and antagonizing Jann Lee that she did not know how talk to him in any other way.

"This place is kinda nice." Jann Lee said. "Got that 'mom and pop' feel to it."

Lei Fang nodded, still staring at the wooden table.

"Feel free to contribute to the conversation at any time."

"Huh? Oh. Sorry."

"What's gotten into you? You're way too quiet and meek right now, where's the spoiled princess we all know and love?"

She bit her tongue to stop a venomous comeback.

The Jeet Kune Do warrior shook his head, like he was expecting the abuse. His face changed from joking to worry. "Sumthin' on your mind?"

So much for small talk, she supposed. With a sigh, she pushed herself to ask the question that lingered in her ever since she met the man.

"Jann Lee, why do you fight?"

Jann Lee blinked in surprise, tilted his head up in thought, and finally shrugged. "Well, truthfully, I want to be in a true fight. I mean a real challenging one, you know? One that two men pour their hearts and souls into. My ultimate fight."

"I see…I think." Lei Fang licked her ice cream. "I always thought you were trying to be the best."

"Not really. I mean, yeah, that would be awesome, but that's not what I really want."

"So why then? Why so much passion into your 'ultimate fight'?"

Jann Lee had a look that was a mixture of nostalgia and something else that, for some reason, almost made Lei Fang's heart ache. A small smile came over him. He rested his cheek in his hand and gazed across the picnic area, not really looking at anything.

"I guess it all started back when I was a little snot. I was a street urchin, just some kid trying to survive day by day. Pick pocketing, stealing, even begging for change. Lemme tell ya, that sort of life doesn't get ya much respect. Even thugs and gangsters looked down on me. I got my ass beat so many times, I can't even remember all of 'em."

"But I had an outlet, something to take my mind off my life." He glanced at Lei Fang. "Can you guess what it was?"

Lei Fang shook her head dumbly.

"Movies. Martial art flicks, to be precise. I loved 'em. Sometimes I would sneak into theaters after hours and watch 'em by myself. I dreamed about being a kung fu master, just beatin' down anyone that tried to pick on me." With the ice cream all eaten, Jann Lee started to munch on the waffle cone. "After a while, I thought to myself, why dream it about when I could become it." He spread his arms out in a gesture to himself. "So I did."

"When I started fightin' back, I realized somethin'. When you're fightin', you can forget about your troubles. All you're focused on is the fight and how to win it. You know what I mean? The tougher the fight, the more you have to focus."

Lei Fang cast her eyes downward again. She had always pictured Jann Lee as someone who loved to fight just for the sake of fighting. She never knew about him. Embarrassed and shame filled her.

"I'm sorry about your childhood." She almost whispered.

"Bah." Jann Lee waved a dismissive hand and popped the last of his cone in his mouth. "I'm over it. Besides, if I wanted sympathy I would have made it more dramatic and sad."

"Wait, if you're over it, why are you still looking for your 'ultimate fight'?"

Jann Lee shrugged. "No real reason. It's a guy thing, you wouldn't understand."

Lei Fang groaned. She got sucked so much in his story that she forgot how aggravating the man could be.

"What about you? Why do you fight?"

The sheer absurdness of Jann Lee's question almost made Lei Fang fall over.

"Are you kidding me?! I'm fighting to defeat _you_, you retarded monkey!"

"Really? Why?"

Jann Lee's calm and innocent demeanor only added salt to the wound.

"You can't possibly be this dumb." Lei Fang groaned. "To show your stupid ass that I'm just as capable of a fighter as you!"

"I already know that you're a capable fighter. Hell, you've given me a run for my money on more than one occasion."

Lei Fang became infuriated. She stood and slammed her palms down on the table. "Don't patronize me! If you respect me, than why do you keep looking down on me?!"

"What'd ya mean?"

"What do I mean?! That arrogant attitude when we fight, the fact you barely acknowledge me, and…" Lei Fang almost stopped, not wanting to mention the incident that changed her life, but she figured that she went this far, might as well go all the way. "And when you fought those punks that were harassing me."

Jann Lee looked at her that made her flush with embarrassment, ashamed of her anger. She slumped back into her seat.

"Lei Fang, do you know why I did that?"

The Chinese girl wanted to answer, but she could not think of anything.

"Because I saw that you were in danger. I thought you needed help." There was no condescendence in his voice. "I didn't know about you or what you could do, but I wasn't gonna stand around and find out. Look, whatever grudge you had when I fought those guys, I just want you to know that I didn't do it because I thought you were weak and helpless, I did it because…well, it's just who I am. You get it?"

Lei Fang nodded somberly.

"Although, from what I understand, you didn't know Tai Ji Quan back then, so you were weak and helpless."

The anger rushed back. "Why you…you…jackass! You can take your apology and cram it up your ass!"

Jann Lee smile was so big that his eyes closed. "There we go. I was gettin' worried that your gloomy side was gonna linger on for the rest of our trip. I was actually startin' to miss the little princess."

She bared her teeth, vibrated with anger. That arrogant ass of a man played with her emotions like it was apart of some sick game. To think that she actually _felt_ for him. She snatched her purse and stormed off.

She got a few paces ahead and stopped. She resumed when she heard Jann Lee get up and follow behind her.

Another thing bothered her, if she was so mad, why was she blushing so?

_One mile from Kokoro's home and business_

_Japan_

_Friday-4:18 p.m._

The only word that Dante could use to describe the district that Helena's half sister called home was simply 'Japanese'. Every building, every street, everything within eyeshot appeared to be plucked straight out of Japan's history. Like an area of homes was scooped out from a hundred years ago and planted right underneath Dante's feet. Every time he and Christie turned a corner, he expected to run into katana carrying samurai. Instead he met a mash up of tradition and modern life. Japanese men in business attire, teenagers in Western clothing, and women and children in their homeland's cultural clothes. The houses were all made of wood and traditionally designed. The streets were paved with cobble stones or dirt, and, like Tokyo, everything seemed so close together and cramped, a claustrophobic's worse nightmare. The only sign of modernity were the telephone poles with power lines that weaved between houses like spider webs. Dante felt like any pole he passed would sudden shot out sparks, warning those around it that it was too clogged with wires and electricity.

And just like Tokyo, everyone he passed turned their head to gawk. Although he wondered at whom they were gawking at, the foreigner with the white hair and the red leather coat or the foreigner with the white hair and the black leather clothes? Most likely both.

After their landing, instead of going straight to the girl's house, they made a small stop at an apartment building, at Christie's request. She said that she had to get a few things. No doubt that she had one of the rooms as a safe house. She emerged almost ten minutes later with a metal suitcase that looked too big for her to carry on her own, yet she had no trouble walking. Dante could only guess what was inside, although it had to be a safe bet that it went boom or shot things that went boom.

"What's with these people?" Christie huffed. "Haven't they seen a Brit and a Yank before?"

"I think they're more attentive to you clothes." Dante replied. "Could ya at least zip up?"

She gave him a sultry, mischievous look before returning her attention to the road.

They crossed a small humped bridged and, after navigating a maze of homes, stopped in front of a building far larger and complex looking than the previous homes. Large walls separated the home from everything else, giving the place a solitary, isolated, and imposing aurora. A neatly kept, intricately designed garden wrapped around the entire establishment with babbling streams and small ponds that were all interconnected in some unique and stylish way that was beyond Dante's understanding. Cherry blossom trees in full bloom that gave off pink flower petals at a slow lazy pace surrounded the home. A Japanese style arch way hung over them, beckoning them in.

"I think this might be the place." Dante had his neck craned up to fully appreciate the sheer size of the home.

"Do you? You read Japanese?" Christie nodded at the Japanese letters embossed on a slab of bronze affixed to the wall.

"No, but this place looks too damn grand and hellishly expensive. Definitely Helena's style. This girl's supposed to be her half sister, right?"

Before Dante could set foot in the compound, Christie suddenly seized him by the chin and turned his head to her. She took a handkerchief and roughly wiped his lips like a mother cleaning her child.

"Hey!" Dante pulled back when she released him and placed a hand over the cleansed area. "The hell you doin'?!"

She held up the handkerchief that had small smudges of purple, the same color purple as her lips.

"You don't want to meet Miss Kokoro and her mum with my lipstick on your face, do you?"

Anger became disbelief. "You mean to tell me that I've been walking around with your makeup on me since we got off the damn jet?!"

"More or less." Christie stated coyly. "I saw the looks you were getting from the women at the terminals, so I thought it would be best to avoid any misunderstandings if they knew who you belonged to."

"Belonged?! I don't belong to any…"

"We better get going." Christie picked up her suitcase and strolled through the archway. "And don't worry about the other place with my lipstick, as long as you keep your pants on, they'll never know."

Dante ground his teeth together. He knew he would regret what happened on the plane, he just did not think that it would happen so soon.

A middle aged woman wearing a lime green kimono with red trim greeted them as they entered the front door. She bowed deeply at the waist and straightened back up with her hands clasped in front of her.

"Excuse me." The woman said with a very thick Japanese accent. "Do you speak English?"

"According to most people I know, barely." Dante answered flatly.

The woman bowed again, shallower that time. "Welcome. I am Kobayakawa. Do you have an appointment?"

Before Dante could ask what they needed an appointment for, Christie cut in.

"Actually were here with urgent business with Miss Kokoro. May we speak with her?"

Kobayakawa dipped her head. "My apologies, but Lady Kokoro is out at the moment. Her mother, Lady Miyako, is in. Would you like to speak with her?"

Christie nodded. "That would be most appreciated."

"There is one thing I must ask of you." She gestured to their feet. "Please remove your shoes."

The innards of the castle-like home consisted of wooden-floored corridors with sliding doors made of paper. Kobayakawa lead them with short steps due to her constricting manor of dress. Dante was somewhat surprised, but not too shocked about Christie's polite behavior. But than again, sociopaths tend to be good at play acting.

Kobayakawa knocked on the last door at the corridor and said something in Japanese, speaking to the person behind the door. A quick reply came and Kobayakawa slid open the door for the two. Christie entered first with Dante right behind her.

The room was bare with tatami floor boards and a single small table that could only function as a table if everyone sat on the ground. A second woman with brown hair wearing a tan and blue kimono sat on the floor behind the table with her knees on the ground and her ankles underneath her rear. A simple pot filled with a variety of flowers sat on the table. The woman had one of the flowers in her hand and clipped off a small segment of its stem, returned the flower back in the pot, and gently placed the cut segment next to others that were lain out in a neat row. She set the clippers down and folded her hands in her lap.

"Welcome. Please have a seat." The woman also had an accent to her English, but not as thick. "You may leave, Kobayakawa."

The door slid shut. Dante and Christie walked around the table and sat. Christie sat in a similar manor as the woman. Dante plopped down with legs askew and leaned back on one hand, hardly traditional, but Dante did not know about other countries customs nor did he particularly care at the moment. Get the job done and go home was all that he had in his mind.

"Hello." The woman said formally. "I am Miyako. I understand you have business with me and my daughter."

Miyako might have been middle aged, but she was still very beautiful. Dante had no trouble imagining how hot she must have been during her prime.

"Thank you for seeing us." Christie bowed her head slightly. "My name is Christie and this is my associate Dante. We work for Miss Helena Douglas."

Miyako lowered her eyes for a brief moment, like she expected to hear the name.

"And what does Miss Douglas want with me?"

"Miss Douglas feels that due to certain circumstances, your daughter is no longer safe. She believes that it would be wise for her to be relocated to her central compound in Paris."

"No longer safe? How so?"

"Miss Douglas can answer that question more thoroughly than I."

"Than why isn't she here?" Miyako kept her calm tone, but Dante could tell she was getting angry. "If she is so concerned about my daughter's well being, she should have come herself."

"Miss Miyako, I…"

The older woman held up her hand for silence. "I'm going to save you the trouble and tell you that my daughter is not going anywhere. The only reason she could be in danger is because that woman put her in it. We have nothing to do with Miss Douglas or her company. Not anymore."

Christie kept her composure. "Nonetheless, Miss Miyako, your daughter _is_ in danger and if you have any concerns over your daughter's safety…"

"I have made up my mind." The Japanese woman said with great finality. "Now I must ask you to take your leave. My daughter shall return shortly and she must return to her lessons."

--

After some polite and empty goodbyes and bows, Dante and Christie trotted down the hall.

"Well, that was a waste of time." Dante sighed. "Shoulda just called, been quicker and easier."

"This isn't over yet." Christie said coolly. "We're not going back empty handed."

"What're we gonna do? Kidnap the kid?"

"We'll talk to Kokoro directly. From what I hear, she can be a rebellious girl. Perhaps she will disagree with her mother."

"And if she doesn't?"

"Then we kidnap her."

Dante doubted she was joking.

Hurried and awkward footsteps came rushing behind them with a low but excited voice.

"Wait! Mr. Dante, Miss Christie. Please wait!"

Kobayakawa tried to run, but like her walk from before, the kimono made the attempt difficult. When she made it to the two, she caught her breath.

"Lady Miyako wished me to inform you that she has reconsidered."

Dante raised an eyebrow. "Already? What changed her mind so fast?"

"I do not know, but she has requested an audience with you, Mr. Dante. Alone."

"Me? What for?"

"She did not say, but she is in the garden. If you will follow me." Kobayakawa turned to Christie. "Miss Christie, if you could wait here, I will escort you to the guest room later."

"What the hell could she want with me?" Dante whispered to Christie.

"Maybe she has a thing for foreign men." Christie smirked.

--

Miyako stood waiting for him at the edge of the border between the porch, or whatever the Japanese called the walkway that made up the outside section of the grand house, and the garden, staring off into space. Kobayakawa disappeared as soon as Dante set foot outside. He was allowed to carry his boots with him and he stuffed his feet in them before initiating conversation. Something that Miyako beat him to the punch on.

"My lover made this mansion for me. One of many things he gave me." Miyako said nostalgically. "But I oversaw the construction of the garden. He was a thoughtful man, but he did not know my native culture too well." She turned around to face him. "Your name was…Dante, correct? Would you like to take a stroll with me through the garden?"

Dante shrugged. "Sure. Why not?"

She linked one arm with his in the proper lady/gentleman fashion and walked along the small stone route that twisted around the garden like a wayward snake.

"Please excuse my, how do you say, flip flop on my decision. That woman you are with, Miss Christie, I do not particularly care for her. I developed an ability to judge a person during my past profession. Her polite words are empty and meaningless. She has the spirit of a killer. You can see why I did not trust someone like her."

"She seems to have that affect on people. Even Helena doesn't like her."

"Than why does she have that woman in her employment?"

"I wish I knew."

"Well, I changed my mind because when I thought about it, you were very different from her. Despite your manor of dress, I can tell that you are not someone that's cut from the same cloth as her."

The two kept walking, although Dante had to keep himself from walking too fast. Miyako, like Kobayakawa, was wearing a kimono and the woman was smaller than him. Every step he took was about two or three steps she had to take.

"As you probably already know, my lover was Fame Douglas, the former head of the DOATEC Corporation and Helena's father. I met him many years ago when he came to Japan to expand his company. Some of the local men that he had partnered with took him to a geisha house. I was one of the geishas."

"Uh…not to sound like an ignorant tourist or anything, but aren't geishas…you know…prostitutes?"

Miyako gave a soft, brief laugh. "No. That is a common misconception. Geishas are entertainers. We…they sing, dance, play music, or simply talk to their clients. Sex is not supposed to be apart of the culture."

"But it was for you?"

The smile fell. "Not at first, no. I was simply his favorite. He would come by a few times over the months until…a night of passion over took us. Things became even more complicated afterwards. You see, I was…seeing someone else. A Japanese salary man, someone who loved me with all his heart, but was not from a wealthy or prestigious family. But I did not care, we were in love, until that night I ended up in Mr. Douglas's arms."

"After the night we made love, I was faced with a choice, become a rich, foreign man's mistress or stay with a man that I loved and face financial hardship." She swallowed down the tears. "And like a true whore, I chose money. I retired from my geisha lifestyle and became Fame Douglas's Japanese love doll." She laughed again, but it was choked with grief and self loathing. "No, forgive me. It was wrong of me to speak ill of Mr. Douglas. He was a wonderful provider. He gave me this home, showered me with gifts, and when I gave birth to his child, he dotted on her as much as me. I was afraid that he would cast me aside when he discovered my pregnancy, maybe even kill me, but my worries were unfounded. He loved both of us very much."

"But you didn't love him back."

She shook her head. "No. I was fond of him and very grateful, but I did not…could not return the love he gave me. How could I? I was just one of his mistresses, one of six. A warm body for his bed when he was in the country. I'm sure Helena's mother was the same as I."

"Kinda hard on yourself, aren't ya?"

Miyako stared off in the distance, not answering Dante's question. "After Mr. Douglas passed on, I converted this mansion into a place to train and house young geishas. My daughter is training to be a geisha. It is a respectable practice that has strong ties to my country's history and culture. She may not be full blooded Japanese, but she will know her heritage." She looked up into Dante's eyes. "You're probably wondering why I'm telling my life's story to someone I just met."

"Not really." Dante replied. "For some reason, a lot of people are doin' that. I'm already used to it."

"I am entrusting my daughter to you, Mr. Dante. Not Miss Christie, not even Miss Douglas. You." She squeezed Dante's arm slightly. "Because I feel…no, I know you are the only one of the three that I can trust to keep her safe." She placed a finger on his lips to keep him from talking. "Don't ask why. You know what I think of Christie, and Helena can't focus everything on my daughter. I'm sure she has her own destiny to follow."

"Lady Miyako!" Kobayakawa suddenly appeared from nowhere. "My apologies for the intrusion, but you wanted to be informed when Lady Kokoro returned."

"Very good." Miyako gently tugged on Dante's arm. "Come. It's time you met the one you came to retrieve."

--

Back in the mansion, Miyako led Dante to a central room that was quite larger than the previous rooms and just as empty save for a long, knee high table. Clustered around the table were half a dozen young girls in matching charcoal grey and white school uniforms and half a dozen older women in kimonos. Christie, who Dante spotted easily, sat near the head of the table. Across from her was a vacant space reserved for him. He sat, a bit more civil than last time. Miyako took the seat at the head of the table. At the opposite end was one of the school girls with a golden hair ornament that separate a segment of her hair from the black locks that trailed to the small of her back. He could immediately recognize the resemblance between the girl and Miyako. That was Kokoro.

"Thank you for gathering here everyone." Miyako said. "I have an announcement to make."

Kokoro spoke in Japanese to her mother, but stopped when she noticed her mother's raised hand.

"Kokoro, and everyone else, I must ask that you speak in English. Our guests here do not know our native language and it would be rude to have this conversation without them."

The girl sighed and tried again. "Mother, what's going on? Who are these people?"

"I was about to get to that. Be patient, young one." Miyako open her arms and motioned to Dante and Christie. "These are Miss Christie and Mr. Dante."

Dante noticed that the younger girls could not keep their eyes off Dante and had a hard time keeping their giggles and whisperings to themselves.

Miyako glared at the girls and spoke some sharp words in Japanese. The girls instantly snapped back into seriousness, straightened their backs, and looked ahead. Still, a few would steal glances at him.

"You'll have to forgive them, Mr. Dante." Miyako sounded slightly disappointed. "You're the first male they've seen in years and the first foreigner in their lifetime."

"No harm, no foul." Dante waved her off. He dare not look at Christie. No need to add to the drama.

The former geisha returned to her announcement. "These two work for Helena Douglas. Kokoro, you'll be accompanying them back to Paris."

Gasps and dumb struck hushes came from the side of the table with the young girls. The side with the older women looked startled by the news, but was more composed. Utter astonishment clouded Kokoro's face.

"Paris? With sis…I mean Miss Douglas? But…why?"

"So she can better protect you, Kokoro."

"Protect me? From what?"

"Miss Kokoro." Christie chimed in. "All will be explained when you met Miss Douglas in Paris. You have to trust us."

"Trust you? I barely even know you! All I've ever heard about you are horror stories!" She turned to Dante. "And you…I've never even seen you before!"

"That is enough! How dare you speak like that to our guests!" Miyako barked. Her daughter frowned in embarrassment and cast her eyes down. "Kokoro, I have decided that this is the best course for you. You will go to Paris and that is final!"

"Yes…mother…"

Dante's eyes darted to the screen door seconds before it was crushed. A large, cat like being had plowed through the screen. A flurry of hysterical screams and panicked shouts whirled about the room as the school girls scurried to the other end of the room with the older women. Christie and Kokoro were up in an instant, not knowing what had happened, but ready to fight. Miyako and Dante remained seated, although Dante did not have the bewildered expression Miyako did.

The cat, with an armored head, shoulders, legs, and claws crept in the room and began pacing with the deathly aurora of a predator on the hunt. The lights suddenly dimmed. The temperature plummeted. Thick black mist seeped through the thin cracks along the wall and under doors. The mist took the form of other cats. One demon became nine and surrounded the human and half-demon group.

"What is this?" Kokoro shuddered. "What's going on?"

"Simple. We're being attacked." Christie shot back. "Are these what I think they are?"

"Demons, babe." Dante slowly stood. "I had a hunch this would happen. Things were going too smoothly."

The main double doors slid open themselves, revealing a woman in a type of scantily, black fur clothes, chuckling with her face in her hand.

"I couldn't help myself." The woman said in a shaky tone. It was obvious that the woman was very excited about something. "I was just supposed to watch you…but you're right there, in front of me. I've been waiting for this for so very long, I thought another few days wouldn't hurt…but the longer I watched from a distance, the harder it was not to act." She removed the hand to reveal a beautiful yet frightening face contorted in manic glee. "And here I am, ready for you, Dante!"

Dante casually walked around the table. "I know you?"

"No. But you will soon enough, son of Sparda."

"You know, whenever someone designates me as 'the son of Sparda' it usually means I'm about to catch my dad's flak again. Damn, when will it end?"

Red electric energy sprouted from Dante's forearms and shins. The energy glowed with a bright intensity until it vanished. In the illuminations place were the Apophis gauntlet and grieves.

"Oh, well, one more mess to clean up. And don't bother telling me what my old man did to you. I heard 'em all."

"You have no idea what you're father did to me…_boy_." The demoness snarled. "I am Marller, holder of the Obsidian Mist," her eyes changed from angered to dead serious, "and the rightful mate of Sparda."


	24. hell hath no fury

A/N: Gonna be headin' back to college soon. Hopefully I won't be too swamped with homework to keep my fics goin'. I love college, but what's up with this goin' to class b.s? And, of course, my return to the X-box live world! Whoo!

Disclaimer: DMC owned by Capcom. DOA and NG owned by Team Ninja and Tecmo…for now.

Chapter 24: If only I got paid to do this

**Dead or Alive 4: The Devil Factor**

**Chapter 24: Hell Hath No Fury**

_Kokoro's home and business_

_Japan_

_Friday-4:42 p.m._

At first Dante said nothing, he was too astonished by what the demoness said. But he quickly regained his wit. "Rightful mate? Well, that is a new one." He studied the Apophis gauntlet on his right hand. "But you sure about that title? I mean, it could've been just a one night thing. You look like a chick who takes relationships too far."

"You speak ignorance, boy." Marller hissed. "I earned that title with my own power. He was mine! And then that mortal WHORE stole him from me!" The black mist swirled angrily around her like a storm. "I could forgive him for turning his back on demons, we hold no real loyalty with each other, but when he turned his back on _me_…well, his children will pay the price."

"You're breakin' my heart, babe." Dante huffed.

"I'll do more than break your heart, half-breed." Marller said haughtily.

A Cait Sidhe pounced at Dante from his flank. Retractable, switch-blade-like claws aimed at his throat. Kokoro yelled out a warning, knowing that she was too late. The demon cat's claws almost touched Dante's skin. Like an iron ball shot out of a cannon, Dante's Apophis-amplified fist bashed into the metal encasement of the demon's chin in an uppercut move. The demon's body shot up, bounced of the ceiling, and landed limply. Dante's eyes did not waver from Marller when he struck.

"Your kitties are a little feisty." Dante smirked. "Better lay off the cat nip."

Another Cait Sidhe attacked, this one opting for a rear assault. Dante whirled around, backhanding the demon. He completed his twirl by slamming his fist down on the head of another cat demon that tried to come in low. He then shifted his weight to his fist and somersaulted over it just as two Cait Sidhe's ripped through the air that he once occupied. When his feet touched the ground, he grabbed a hold of the demon's head and threw it at another demon, like a football player spiking the ball after a touchdown.

Kokoro was unsure on what to do. So far the…demon's, if that was what they really were, were only targeting the man called Dante, ignoring her and the others in the room. She felt that she should join in, help the man. But if she did that, then her friends and fellow geishas-in-training, the women who worked for her mother and mother herself, would be unprotected should one of the demon's suddenly feel that going after defenseless prey would be more efficient than going after a man that was mopping the floor with them.

She shot a look over to the white haired woman called Christie. The space she once held was vacant. The Japanese teen looked around frantically, trying to find her. She huffed in amazement when the woman eluded her. It was hard for her to admit, but it looked like the foreign woman actually ran. She was sure she remembered the woman from the Dead or Alive tournament. Who knew that a woman who competed in such a dangerous tournament could also be so…cowardly?

Then again, if it were not for her friends and mother, she probably would have run off herself. After all, giant cats with blades appearing from black mist was not a usually occurrence in her life.

A loud crack caused her to snap her attention back to the fight. One of the cat-like demons was dangling like a stuff toy from the ceiling, its head lodged through the wooden planks. The man in red dodged a demon's tackle and snatched its tail before it could land and transformed the beast into a makeshift flail. He bashed away two demon's and knocked another out of the air before securing the beast with both hands, one grasping its neck while the other still clutched its tail, slammed the demon head first into the ground and punting it away with a swift kick.

Kokoro tore her vision from Dante for a brief moment to check on the cluster of frightened women. They were clutching each other, huddled in terror and confusion. The older women formed a protective shell around the younger girls. Her mother was at the outer crust, the lynch pin of the shield. Her mother stole a brief look at the battle before returning her attention back to her employees and trainees, speaking words of encouragement and comfort.

"We have to leave." Kokoro thought. "Get the others to safety. Too dangerous here."

"Mother!" Kokoro called out. "Please, get the others out! I'll…"

A Cait Sidhe suddenly landed in front of the women causing a wave of shrieks. It was not knocked out from battle. It landed gracefully on its legs and crouched in predatory fashion. Kokoro's fears of the demons turning their attention to her family were becoming real.

With adrenaline surging through her veins like lightning, she charged the demon and rammed its side with her shoulder. She unleashed three strikes with her fists. The demon stumbled from the onslaught. Kokoro then sent the demon flying with a snap kick. The demon crashed into the wall, cracking the frame. The cat slowly regained its footing and ripped itself out of the wall. Thankfully, it ignored the women and focused in on Kokoro.

Kokoro was rather astonished, but kept her head. Her attacks had the power to break bones. She was not sure if she struck correctly since she was trained in fighting against human opponents, not animals…or things that looked like animals…sort of.

Did the thing even have bones?

The demon cat pounced. Kokoro spun around it and lashed out with both her arms in a pushing motion that sent it tumbling back.

She wondered if she was even hurting it. So far it looked like she was just pushing it around. From the corner of her eye, she spotted Dante put a boot into the side of one of the demons, splitting it in half, before switching his attention to another demon. So far, all the demons he was hitting were staying down. Maybe she was doing something wrong. Or maybe he was getting help from those things on his arms and legs.

When she returned her gaze to the Cait Sidhe she was fighting, she felt her heart sink into her stomach. The demon suddenly had a companion.

"Two." She thought. "Okay. I kept one off balance with no problem. I should be able to do two."

She just hoped that both demons kept their attention on her instead of performing a divide and conquer move.

One of the Cait Sidhe's leapt at her, mouth opened with fangs at the ready. The other moved closer to the ground. A double team attack. Kokoro's mind raced to come up with a defense.

One of the sliding doors ripped apart. Loud, rhythmic, bangs filled Kokoro's ears. The two demons were knocked aside by an invisible force. The bodies floundered to the ground and did not stand back up.

Christie dashed into the room, swathed with guns, unloading Uzi-like sub machine guns into a group of Cait Sidhes that were apart of the brawl with Dante. A few rounds pinged off the otherworldly metal of the demon's armor, but their unprotected sides were exposed to the snowy haired assassin. They fell and evaporated into black mist.

One of Cait Sidhes snaked through the room, aiming itself for Christie. The demon strategy of keeping low to the ground failed when Christie flipped over it. During the short time she was over the demon, she aimed her two guns down and unleashed a rainstorm of lead into the demon's back. By the time Christie landed, the Cait Sidhe was sliding along the floor due to its momentum, dead.

At first Kokoro was surprised at Christie's entrance, as she was sure the woman was long gone. Then she felt relieved, now there was another to help fight. Finally, she was angry.

"Where were you?" Kokoro said in her native tongue, too angry to try to speak in anything else. "I could have used your help!"

Christie smirked while keeping her aim at the demon horde. "Please, Miss Kokoro. You're a big girl. You can take care of yourself." She said in English. "But to answer your question, I had to get some things from my briefcase." She moved one of the guns around in her hand to prove her point.

She caused Kokoro to jump slightly when she fired off another salvo. Four more demons fell.

"It's not just me." Kokoro said more calmly, this time in English. "My mother and the others need our protection."

Christie chuckled softly. "Not to worry, Miss Kokoro." She said in a fake tone of formality. "Most of these bloody things are more interested in my accomplice." She leveled her gaze. "In fact, I believe he's the target, not us."

Kokoro took a better look at Dante's situation. The man had to be facing around ten demons, maybe more, at a time. And the woman called Marller, the one that was undoubtedly the cause of the chaos, stood with crossed arms with the deadliest look on her face, a cross between pure, smoldering anger and slight impatience.

Dante popped a Cait Sidhe into the air with a rising punch and then knocked it away with a roundhouse that he preformed in mid-air. The out of control demon was aimed at the woman who made no attempt to move. When the demon cat was a mere foot from her face, the cat suddenly turned to shapeless black mist and hit her with the strength of a small gust of wind, barely enough to flutter her hair.

"He's got things well in hand, Miss Kokoro." Christie spoke. "All we have to do is pick off the stragglers."

A Cait Sidhe suddenly crashed before the two women and struggled to get up. Christie aimed and fired a quick burst. The demon roared and died.

"See? Simple as that."

A second demon came at Kokoro from the side. She moved aside while delivering a sharp blow to the back of its unprotected neck. The demon stumbled. Christie jammed the barrel into the eye slit in the armor and squeezed the trigger. With an agonized roar that hurt Kokoro's ears, the demon spastically thrashed about, ripping up chunks of wood with its blades before Christie fired another shot to put it out of its misery.

The British killer let the smoking guns fall out of her hands and she retrieved the rifle that was strapped to her back. It was a carbine rifle used by the British army with a longer barrel, a sixty round magazine, a custom stock that fit her shoulder perfectly, and a single shot grenade launcher underneath the barrel.

The gun lit up, belching fire and metal. Christie repressed a desire to sweep the gun back and forth. It sure made someone feel like a badass, but doing so made the gun horribly inaccurate. It was more befitting to a professional to use her weapons with finesse. Besides, she might hit Dante. Friendly fire. Not that it would matter, considering his heritage, but she put so much work into taming him.

When the gun became empty, she ejected the clip, shoved in a fresh one, and picked off a demon that decided to go after the archer instead of the knight.

"Lovely." Christie blew on the heated barrel. "Just like the shooting range."

Kokoro made a face of disgust and removed her hands from her ears. The foreign woman had on a rather smug look when she was firing her gun.

"Psycho." Kokoro thought.

Dante jumped up high to avoid a pile up of demons who had realized that team work was their only ticket to victory. When he came back down, he slammed his fist into the ground, generating a sphere of bloody electricity that expanded like an explosion. The demons flew back like trash in a hurricane. Their bodies changed back into the mist.

"Enough of this!" Marller yelled. "Worthless, the lot of you!"

The remaining Cait Sidhes slinked back, heads lowered and tails between their legs, ashamed.

"Hey, now, no need to get angry with your kitties." Dante mockingly lectured. "That's the first step toward pet abuse."

Marller shot out and slashed at Dante. The devil hunter nimbly avoided that anger-clouded attack.

"Whoa there." Dante smirked. "Calm down, missy. Hate for you to break one of those nails."

With an infuriated roar, the demoness plunged her claws into the ground. Obsidian blades the size of small cars erupted from the ground, rupturing from the wooden floor boards and punctured through the ceiling. The last of the demon cats were either skewered or completely dismembered.

Marller looked up to find Dante leaning on one of the blades in a leisurely posture, unharmed. His arms hung loosely at his sides.

"Now you've skedaddled past pet abuse." Dante said. "I think I might have to call those PETA guys on you."

Marller was suddenly in front of him, in mid air, preparing to strike. Dante brought up a gauntlet to bloke her slash and leapt away. The blades evaporated into mist that swirled around Marller.

"You brat!" Marller bellowed. "I will…"

A hand suddenly grabbed Marller's wrist causing her to flinch, almost attack. She restrained the urge to strike, only barely, when she saw who had seized her.

"You." Marller hissed. "What the hell are you doing here? This does not concern you!"

A man, large with muscle, with sickly grayish-white skin and emerald-hued Japanese-styled clothes glowered back at her. A thick, white mustache wrapped around his face.

"Foolish wench." The man spat, his English choked with a Japanese accent. "Here I thought you could at least control yourself for a simple observation mission and instead I find you so overwhelmed with your damned emotions that you're making a mockery of yourself in this fight."

Marller yanked her arm free. "Let go of me! This is my fight!"

"Wrong!" The man barked back. "There is no fight! Now are you going to calm down and leave before you embarrass yourself any further or are you going to continue with this pointless brawl?"

Marller's face erupted into pure rage, but she quickly lowered her head, inhaled sharply, and let it out slowly and evenly. She began to chuckle.

"As much as I hate to admit it, you're right." Marller said with her mask of confident seduction. "I guess I lost my cool. But that little green prick was…"

"Hey, I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" Dante asked with open arms. "But really, what is this? Demon anger management?"

"Ah, the devil hunter Dante." The man said, as if he finally realized that Dante was in the room. "I've been meaning to meet you, face to face."

"Don't tell me that you've got a grudge with my old man too?" Dante huffed in annoyance and shook his head. "Really, this is gettin' ridiculous. I should get a sign that says 'limit: only one Sparda grudge per day'."

"Actually I have no grudge with you or your father." The man replied in an honest tone. "But you could say that our destinies are intertwined."

"Did you just make a pass at me?"

"Hmph. A jokester." The man raised his hand. Green frost surrounded his arm, forming jagged icicles. "I hate jokesters."

Something sounded behind Dante. Not quite an explosion, more like a decompression boom. The man swung his arm, unleashing some of the green mist. A large chunk of ice suddenly grew from the air and landed at the man's feet. Oddly enough, the ice chunk was heading toward the man, not away. The ice chunk was semi-transparent and Dante could barely make out something inside. It looked like a large bullet. He looked behind him to see Christie snarling and lowering her rifle. He could see trace amounts of smoke wafting from the rifle's grenade launcher.

"Did you just shoot that thing at a guy I'm barely eight feet from?"

Christie looked belligerent. "Well, sorry for taking the initiative against a hostile…whatever the bloody hell he is."

Dante shook his head in disgust and turned back. The dragon heads snapped back, allowing Dante to pull out the Ivory. He pointed it at the man. "You. I know you're working for Vergil. So spill where he is or I spill your entrails on the floor."

"So sorry, Dante." Marller answered. "But your big brother's a bit busy at the moment. But don't you worry about a thing, you two will be together. He's planning on it."

"Wrong answer."

Dante pulled the trigger. Christie followed Dante's lead. A wall of Emerald Ice sprouted out between Dante and the two demons. .45 caliber and 7.62 millimeter rounds chipped away at the thick slab, but could not bust through. Suddenly, the wall broke apart revealing the fading remains of the Obsidian Mist. The two demons were nowhere in sight.

"By the way, Devil Hunter." The man's voice echoed. "Say hello to Ayame and her children, would you?"

Dante craned his head around, trying to zero in on the voice, but to no avail. He rested Ivory on his shoulder.

"So he's got history with the ninja girls and their mom." Dante thought. "Keep forgetting that it ain't just me in this mess."

_One mile from Hitomi's Family Dojo and Residence_

_Germany_

_Friday-4:57 p.m._

Lei Fang puttered along the semi-deserted cobblestone road with Jann Lee a few steps behind, unnaturally quiet, holding a paper bag filled with the things on Hitomi's list. She was still pissed about the conversation at the ice-cream place. How could she have been so stupid as to lower her guard in front of the man she swore to defeat at all costs?

Worst yet, she still had to try to accomplish the stupid bet she made with her German friend. She was not so much interested in hearing about how far Hitomi and Hayate had gone as she was about winning. She never shied away from a challenge. But then again, this was more than just a challenge. She was also going to do something that she had skirted around for so long, that she was unsure how she would pull it off. Unfortunately, Jann Lee's tom foolery killed the mood for the night. She thought about trying again another day, but so much work was put into this day that it felt kind of wasteful to not try to salvage the moment, if at all possible. However, doing so meant lowering her guard again, something she was not sure she was ready to do so soon.

"Sumthin' wrong?" Jann Lee asked.

Lei Fang startled. She noticed that she had stopped and Jann Lee was now in front of her, calling at her from behind his back.

"Why not?" She thought. "Maybe he'll be serious for once" She smiled somewhat. "Yeah, and I'll be the next president of China."

"Jann Lee, could I talk to you?" Lei Fang asked. "There's something I've been meaning to say for a while."

"Sure." The Jeet Kune Do fighter said in half surprise. He was so sure he would be getting the silent treatment and death glares from the princess for a few days after his stint. "Lay it on me."

"Not here." Lei Fang shook her head. "Someplace more private."

She looked around and found a small alleyway between two stone buildings.

"Over here." She pointed to the small gap and made her way in. Jann Lee followed, skeptical about what was going on.

They went in a ways, far in enough to be unseen by the occasional passer-bys unless they stopped and actually tried to see what was going on inside a random alleyway. Lei Fang stopped, but did not turn around. Jann Lee kept a few paces between them. Just in case. He doubted that the girl would try to start a fight, but for some reason, he felt like what was going to be said was something that could become emotionally tense if he said the wrong thing. In his world, emotionally tense was just a quick hop away to full out brawl. Plus, he had a bad habit of saying the 'wrong thing'.

"Jann Lee." Lei Fang's voice held none of her usually haughtiness or air of dignity. She was speaking from within herself, her true self. "Do you know what a hallow victory is?"

Jann Lee, unsure of why she would ask something like that, answered after a brief moment. "Uh…is it that the thing where you win but you really lose?"

"Yes. Win the battle, lose the war. I'm faced with such a problem. You see, if I 'win' this conversation, I'll be losing something I've known for so long, something I've been comfortable with. And yet, if I 'lose'…well, I'm not real sure what will happen." Lei Fang tightened her fists at her sides. "I'm teetering on the edge of a choice right now. I ask that you not laugh or say anything about how stupid I may sound." She turned around. Her eyes were wild with uncertainty and fear. "Can you do that for me, please?"

At first, Jann Lee thought she was pulling a prank. Why else would she seem so defenseless to him? But he soon began to doubt it. The look in her eyes was not something that could be faked. At least he hoped not.

"Yeah, sure."

"After that first fight we had…no, after you…fought off those thugs that were harassing me. I felt…something towards you. At first, it was…anger that you had to save me like a damsel in distress. Then it was passion to defeat you, to reclaim my self worth. But now…" Lei Fang hesitated and felt her face blush. "I'm…not real sure…I mean, I've never really felt something like it before, but…it could be…attraction."

Jann Lee blinked, but dared not speak.

"I mean…you're an arrogant, self-absorbed, hot-headed street punk who never thinks about anything in his life. I should be revolted by you. But instead…"

"Gee, thanks." Jann Lee replied flatly.

Lei Fang hesitated before she jolted when she realized what she was saying. "Oh…no…that was….I'm sorry. I mean, it's true, but…I mean, I'm sure I have my own faults, it's just that…" She blew out a frustrated sigh and tried again. "Even though I see you as someone I must defeat…I think that…I'm starting to see you as something…else."

Jann Lee moved the paper sack around until he was holding it under one arm. "Look…Lei Fang. I just want to say that…while I appreciate your feelings. I'm not real sure how it…we could work."

The look on her face said that he had stayed true to his habits and said the wrong thing. But instead of getting angry like she would normally do, she seemed dejected and almost ready to, dare he say it, cry.

"It ain't you…it's me." He cringed at having to use such a cliqued remark, but continued on. "You're a rich girl with a high breeding. You could be royalty for all I know. And me?" Jann Lee spread out his arms to gesture to himself. "I'm a street kid from the underbelly of society that takes roughneck jobs. I don't think we would mesh to well."

Lei Fang began to laugh, even though her voice was starting to crack. "So that's it, huh? That's your excuse." She shook her head and made a light sound that Jann Lee barely recognized as disgust. "I pour my heart out and you run away."

"Hey, now. I ain't…"

"Don't even try to rebut me." Lei Fang's anger, the one Jann Lee feared, was starting to surface. "You're nothing but a coward."

"Oh, really?" Jann Lee became angry himself. "Well excuse me for rejectin' the advances of a spoiled little rich girl that's throwin' a tantrum because she ain't getting' her way!"

Jann Lee had to drop the bag in order to counter the strike Lei Fang had aimed at his head. He grabbed both her wrists to try to restrain her.

Usually, he had no trouble subduing women who were putting up a fight. He had learned strategies from numerous encounters in his previous bouncing jobs with drunken women that were of the rambunctious variety. It was rare, but it happened. However, Lei Fang was no ordinary woman. Jann Lee was physical stronger than her, but Lei Fang knew how to beat opponents that could bench press more than her. But Jann Lee knew as well, so he quickly pushed her against the wall, pining her arms across her chest. He squeezed his calves together to catch Lei Fang's knee before it made contact with his groin. A ploy all women he had to forcibly remove employed.

"Simmer down, girl." Jann Lee said calmly, reverting to his bouncer attitude. "Or you're gonna hurt yourself."

"Let me go, you retarded monkey!" Lei Fang yelled. "Or I'll scream that you're trying to rape me!"

"I'll let you go when you calm down and stop tryin' to hit me!"

She struggled, but without the ability to grab her opponent, her techniques were limited to the point of uselessness. Still, she thrashed about, but Jann Lee kept hold. Finally, she stopped and stared daggers at Jann Lee as she huffed and puffed. For some reason, she began moving her head forward, slowly. Before she knew it, she was locking lips with Jann Lee. Her body flushed with heat. She trembled uncontrollably. Tongues collided with each other, their mouths were so intertwined that she childishly felt like they were trying to eat each other. She realized that he had let go of her arms. She instantly put her arms around his neck. One of his hands went against the wall for balance while the other grabbed her leg, under her calf, and hoisted it up to his waist and placed his leg between hers.

"God…" Lei Fang moaned between pants. "…oh, God."

She had lost her head. She was living the moment on pure, illogical, passion. She was experiencing what it would be like if she thought like Jann Lee.

The Jeet Kune Do master changed tactics on her. He let go of her leg and seized her wrists again. This time, he pinned them over her head with one hand while he used his other to travel up and down her back. He released himself from their lip embrace and began to work on her neck with kisses.

In her mind, while it was not clouded with strong hormonal surges, she thought about Jann Lee's performance. He knew what he was doing, had it down to a science. He was touching her in all the right places, moving without pause out of inexperience or awkwardness. When she kept dabs on him, she had noticed that he had his fair share of encounters with women. However, his previously mentioned flaws made long term commitments rather difficult for these women, if not down right impossible. Most encounters usually ended with a one night stand. She had felt anxious and slightly frustrated when she had learned about a woman in Jann Lee's life and relieved when the relationship ended. Something she would never admit to, no matter what, to Jann Lee. Still, she wondered if such a thing would happen between them.

She yelped passionately when his hand cupped her breast.

"N..no." She hoarsely whispered. "Stop. Please."

Jann Lee complied and held Lei Fang close. Like her, his breathing had become labored.

"Sorry." He gasped. "Guess I got a lil' carried away."

Lei Fang did not exactly want to stop, per se. Things were going a little too fast for her, she was still trying to wrap her head around the fact that one moment ago, she was trying to take his head off and the next they were all over each other, but she was enjoying the experience. However, if things had kept going the way they were, she would have had a problem on her hands. Losing her virginity in the alleyway of some German town sure sounded exotic, but she doubted her parents would have thought it awesome. It would be a cold day in hell before she told them, but they had their ways of finding out. Her father was a corporate wiz. He made his fortune on figuring out what other people were actually thinking.

Jann Lee began to pull back. Lei Fang, not ready to be thrown back into the cool air, grabbed his shirt and yanked him back.

"Wait." She said with a calmer and steady tone. "Let me calm down a little." Her eyes bugged a little when she realized what it was she was feeling on her lower stomach. "And for the feel of things, you need to calm down big time."

She smiled when she realized that she had just rendered Jann Lee speechless.

_Kokoro's home and business_

_Japan_

_Friday-6:18 p.m._

"Either my mother comes with, or I'm not going."

That was the single term Kokoro had with Dante and Christie, which neither seemed to have a problem with. Her daughter was startled by the events earlier that day. She probably would have asked to have the entire staff come as well, but Kokoro knew that such a request would be impossible to achieve. She was level-headed enough to accept such a fact, but she was emotional enough to not make that distinction with her mother. Her daughter's tom-boyish protective streak still kept strong.

Miyako knelt in front of her half-packed travel bag, lost in her thoughts. Things were progressing far too quickly. She was sure there would be time. The man said…

"Lady Miyako." A sing song voice called behind her. "Packing for you voyage? Might I suggest a camera? Such wonderful sights are to behold in Paris!"

Miyako clenched her fists in her lap. She did not turn around to the voice she had already come to hate. "What do you want?"

"Oh, Lady Miyako! Such coldness in your otherwise pleasant voice! Why the hostility to someone you've made a pact with?"

"Pact?!" The woman spat and turned her head. "You _threatened_ my daughter's life! Made me give her up to some…man and woman I do not know! There is no pact! Just a deal made of fear! You're nothing but a cowardly terrorist!"

"Oh, my!" Gentleman put his hands on his cheeks in mock shock before he bowed deeply. "My apologies if I made you feel that I coerced you in any way. I did not mean to do so. I merely wanted to fully explain the dangers that might befall your lovely young daughter should she be without my, and Dante's, expert protection."

"This is wrong." Miyako closed her eyes and shook her head. "I should have never agreed to you or even listened to your inane ramblings. I must stop this. I must tell…"

Miyako startled when Gentleman suddenly appeared in front of her, kneeling to be at eye level with her, uncomfortably close to her face. She could see the insane and callous eyes behind the demon's sunglasses. The permanent smile seemed more maniacal, more…inhuman.

"Lady Miyako." Gentleman spoke lowly, but still with a high-pitched voice. "Perhaps you do not fully understand what will happen in the near future. Do you need see what will transpire again?"

"No! I…" Miyako tried to refuse, not wanting to see the images again. But Gentleman already laid a gloved hand on her forehead.

Her eyes squeezed shut of their own accord. Her face contorted into pain. Images flashed in her mind. Cities burning. People dying. Monsters killing. Darkness enveloping everything. The whole world being swallowed by demons. But what crippled her most was the sight of her daughter, mutilated, feasted on by creatures.

"No! Stop it! Stop it!" Miyako thrashed against Gentleman's hand. Finally she pulled away and fell to the floor, clutching herself. "Please stop. No more." She cried.

"I'm so sorry that you had to see such sights for a second time, Lady Miyako, but you needed to be convinced after you turned away Dante and Christie." Gentleman stood. "I must say, your speech about seeing Dante's 'true' personality was quite clever. And telling him your harsh life story was very heartbreaking. You do know how to make a person care."

Miyako pushed herself up, arms shaking. "I am not proud of myself. But…if there is a shred of humanity in Dante, he will keep my daughter safe."

"Oh, he shall. He is quite the powerful demon."

Miyako's head snapped up, eyes wide with disbelief. "Demon? You mean…he's one of those _things_?"

"Well, half-demon if you want to be precise, but yes he is one of us. But no worries. He won't gobble up your precious daughter. His heart is as human as you, my fair lady." Gentleman bowed shallowly. "But you saw his power, did you not? I figured that you needed to witness it first hand to quash any doubts, so I made some arrangements. A pity Radiou had to intervene. Dante's battle with the feisty cat-woman would have made quite the spectacle."

"You mean…the attack by that woman…you did that?"

"Well, I would be lying if I said I had no part in it." Gentleman giggled. "That woman, Marller. Putting up the exterior of a confident, playful, strong woman…or should I say demoness? But she had been wronged by the man she loved so long ago. And underneath her façade lies the pain and anguish of betrayal. Some folks just need a push in the right direction. All I had to do was give her a little friendly 'push'. Tell her the things she wanted to hear. Turn the flame in her into an inferno and…well, you saw what happened. 'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned', as they say."

"You…put my daughter in danger…even though you said…"

"Now, now, Lady Miyako. Your daughter was in no _real_ danger. Marller's focus was on him, not your daughter. And how marvelous he was! As the years pass, his power only grows. He is indeed his father's son."

"If…if he's as powerful as you say…as I saw…couldn't he stop what I saw from coming true? Can't he…"

"Oh, I'm afraid not." Gentleman shook his head and wagged his finger. "How can he stop something he knows nothing about? All he will be able to really do is save a select few, when the time comes. And thanks to our pact, your daughter will be one of them. I will take her and those in his care to another world that I have made, one without demons, where she will live a long and full life."

Miyako swallowed. "May she forgive me for what I must do."

"Oh, she will." Gentleman leaned forward. "Just remember your part in this arrangement."

Miyako meekly nodded. "And you remember, Gentleman, that if you are lying to me, you will pay dearly." She looked up with fire in her eyes. "A woman scorned? That's nothing compared to a mother with her children threatened."

Gentleman chuckled. "Indeed?"

A knock came on the door. "Mother?" Kokoro's voice came form behind the rice paper. "Are you done packing?"

Miyako's eyes shot to the door and back to Gentleman. The green-clad demon was gone, simply vanished.

"Almost, child." Miyako spoke. "Almost."

_Hitomi's Family Dojo and Residence_

_Germany_

_Friday-10:35 p.m._

"So, what happened?" Hitmoi pressed. "Come on, spill!"

Lei Fang was wondering when the interrogation would occur. Her German friend was eerily quiet during and after dinner. Of course, Lei Fang's main concern was with Jann Lee. After their…heated encounter, they could not stop being meek and bashful around each other. She did not mean to be and she was sure Jann Lee was not either, but it was just happening, something beyond their control. Which she was sure would make things even worse when Hitomi began grilling her. She had caught on to Hitomi and Hayate's relationship with Hitomi's odd behavior, her and Jann Lee's behavior would have been like a giant neon sign, impossible to overlook.

Both teens were holed up in Hitomi's old bedroom for the night. The room was a smaller then what she was used to, but one had to make the best of things. The entire room was done in baby blue and white and frills. Hitomi's bed was a single-person bed with fluffy throw pillows and a zoo of stuffed animals ranging from grey bunnies to rainbow-colored unicorns. Lei Fang had a hard time envisioning the room as belonging to an eighteen-year-old with a possible boy-friend that was five years her senior. But then again, Hitomi did have an apartment, so she was willing to pass off the little girl decorations as something she left behind when she moved.

Hitomi was dressed in a light blue nightie and Lei Fang in canary yellow panties and a white T-shirt. Hitmoi sat cross-legged on her bed with one of her stuffed animals, a simple brown bear, in her lap. Lei Fang laid out in the sleeping bag that was rolled out next to the bed, wishing that she was not having this conversation. Oh well, she did the same thing to Hitomi. What is fair is fair.

"I've seen how you two are looking at each other now. Something major must have happened. Tell me!"

Still, it was not like she was going to enjoy it.

"Nothing really happened." Lei Fang lied. It was hard to tell the truth right off the bat. "We went to that stupid ice cream place, got what was on the stupid list, and went home, alright?"

"Aaaaaaaand?" Hitomi leaned in, grinning like the Cheshire cat.

"And…" Lei Fang turned away. "And we…talked. About stuff. Mostly about us. Then that moron had to play Mr. Dumbass and ruined everything."

"Oh, I doubt that's it." Hitmoi rolled her eyes. "Do I have to get a cattle prod?"

"Fine! On our way back, I…sort of…told him some personal stuff. And like the jerk he is, he had to ruin that too. Then we started fighting."

"Really?" Hitomi was surprised. "You guys were yelling at each other?"

"No. We were throwing fists at each other." Lei Fang growled. "Well, I threw _a_ fist. He had to restrain me. Threats were made. And then we…started…kissing."

"Aha!" Hitomi pointed an accusing finger. "I knew it! How'd it go? Was it good? Was he experienced?"

"Oh, yeah." Lei Fang chuckled. "He is. The kissing was great and…so was…"

"So was what?"

Lei Fang startled when she realized she had trailed off. "Uh…nothing! Nothing at all." She quickly switched topics. "So anyway, now that I've won our bet, you better pony up."

Hitomi sighed. "All right. I tell you." She leaned in even further and beckoned Lei Fang to come closer. When she did, she started to whisper in the Chinese teen's ear. First, Lei Fang looked confused, then completely surprised to the point of turning white.

"Y…you…did _that_?" Lei Fang stuttered.

Hitomi glowed like a school girl, a smile plastered on her face. She nodded.

"But…how…why…" Lei Fang was at a loss. Her best friend, the one that she thought of like a younger sister, had become a woman. It was rather intimidating. "D…did it…you know…hurt the first time?"

Hitmoi shook her head. "No. It was so…I can't explain it! You have to try it to realize it!" Hitomi caught herself. "I mean, when you're ready."

Lei Fang blushed. Her friend had no idea how close she had come to being in the same 'club'.

"Yeah…when I'm ready."

_Devil May Cry building_

_United States_

_Saturday-1:05 p.m._

"Space is becoming a commodity right now, so you'll have to use my room." Trish said. "I'll crash in Dante's room."

"I don't want to kick you out of your own room." Nikki nervously looked around the main office. She was not sure what made her more uneasy, the weapons and mounted heads of demons, or the fact that the others seemed to pay no mind to them.

"Nah, it'll be fine." Trish said. "Besides, he's kinda territorial about his room. Something about being his 'last sanctuary' or some stupid bullshit. Only lets me go in whenever I want." She sat on the edge of the huge pine desk. "Well, you've met almost everyone. Eliot and Mei Lin should be back anytime from their morning out. I swear, that girl's got the worst cabin fever I've ever seen."

"She's just anxious to see her surroundings. She tells me that she's never left mainland China before." Ayame said with a motherly smile. "And besides, the little darling has wanted to go out on a date with Eliot for quite some time."

Nikki caught the furrowed brow on the young purple-haired lady named Ayane that lay on the couch with her hands behind her head. She had seen the Japanese teen before at Zack's Island. But before she could speak of the meeting, Ayane shot her the vilest look that willed her to keep quiet.

The other girl, Kasumi, whom she also recognized from Zack's Island, stood next to her mother. At least she assumed Ayame was her mother. They looked so much alike. The younger teen stood attentive, almost like a bodyguard.

"Man, this place is turning into some demon attack rehabilitation center or something." Trish joked. "I'm not sure if we can house anymore. And I doubt Dante'll be pleased when he gets back."

"He's been gone for an awfully long time. And he hasn't contacted us since he left." Ayame said, losing her content smile. ""I hope he's alright."

"Bah. He's fine." Trish waved a dismissive hand. "He can be thrown into the pits of hell and come back without being singed."

"She's right, mother." Kasumi chimed in. "He's capable of taking care of himself."

Nikki wanted to ask who this 'Dante' was, but she was trying to get used to her new, and hopefully temporary, lifestyle. No need to add to her troubles with more stories. All she wanted to do was get to her room and sleep off some of her worry.

She only had two suitcases with her. The woman called Lady told her that where she would be going was not a mansion, so pack light.

She also had to sacrifice her wardrobe selection. She had to trade in her cocktail and ballroom dresses, the ones that survived the demon attack, that she had grown accustomed to for her street clothes that had started to gather dust. She wore a white top that exposed a good portion of her toned belly and tight blue jeans. She still had on her make up that made her rival any fashion model. No need to cut back entirely.

"Well, I'll give you the grand tour later." Trish said. "Let's get you situated before we go on. If you'll…"

A bell chimed when the front door opened. Nikki turned to see a blonde boy wearing a red sweater with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows walking in hand in hand with a small Asian girl wearing Chinese kiddy clothes. Two bags from different stores were in the boy's other hand.

"We're back." The blonde boy said. "Sorry. We would have been back sooner, but it was rather hard to tear this one away from the stores."

The girl said something in Chinese.

It appeared Ayame understood the girl. "She wanted a dress?" Ayame asked. "Eliot, why didn't you get it for her? Didn't you have enough money?"

"Well, the dress is kind of expensive." Eliot scratched the back of his head. "And it was tailored for a more…mature figure."

"Ah." Trish nodded. "The one in the window of the store on 7th street?" A sigh escaped her lips. "Always wanted to get it, but been in a cash fix for a while."

"Yes, well, we managed to find a few things around her age range, but…" Eliot cast a glance at Nikki. "Oh, is this the woman you said would be staying with us?"

"Got that right." Trish said. "This is Nikki. Nikki this is our residential British cutie and his Chinese little sis…"

Nikki stepped forward, standing right in front of Mei Lin. The girl looked up at the woman and became slightly intimidated by the sudden closeness of a person she did not know. One of her plump fists grasped at Eliot's jeans.

"You," Nikki's neutral face melted into a look reserved for cuddly animals, "are so cute!"

In an instant, Nikki fell to her knees, scooped up the tiny girl, and smothered her into a giant hug. The older woman almost squealed. The younger girl's head was sandwiched between Nikki's bosoms. She began kicking her legs and flailing her arms like a rat snared in a trap.

"Those clothes are just darling! And that voice!" Nikki tightened her hold, causing the flailing to become more erratic. "I could just eat you up!"

"Uh, Miss Nikki?" Eliot tried to intervene. "I don't think Mei Lin likes that. Miss?"

Nikki snapped her head around and released Mei Lin. She zeroed in on Eliot.

"Oh…my…God…your British accent is just adorable!"

Before Eliot could respond, he became enveloped by the woman. By now, his face had to be beet red. She ignored the furious, yet still cute, Mei Lin who puffed her cheeks and shot hot death from her eyes at her. She looked past the grinning Trish, the surprised Ayame and Kasumi and locked onto her target, Ayane. Just as she surmised, the teen was barely containing rage within her. Her face barely changed, but she could see the tell-tale signs of jealousy: the smoldering look in her eyes, the slight twitch in her eyebrow, and the lips on the verge to becoming a snarl.

Better make sure. She slithered one hand to the back of the boy's head and pushed his face further into her breasts.

Ayane shot up from the couch and stormed up the stairs.

"Ayane?" Ayame called after her. "Honey? What's wrong?" She followed her child up the stairs.

Far too simple. She had suspected something when she noticed the reaction from the violet-haired teen when Trish mentioned Eliot. Her test proved that there was indeed 'something'. Using the Chinese girl as the opener was simply setting up the trap. It would have been too obvious if she went straight for Eliot.

It dawned on her that Eliot was still in her grasp. She released him. He stumbled back, his face a mix with confusion and surprise.

"Eliot?" She asked with a sultry voice. "Could you be a dear and help me with my luggage?"

Eliot swung a glance over to Mei Lin. The girl's face had become a deeper red. Her cheeks still puffed. Her death glare had changed targets from Nikki to him.

But what could he do? Say no?

--

Nikki stepped into Trish's room. It was simple, but far from hopeless. Some redecorating could be done.

"I'll just put your suitcase here." Eliot said. "Well, I had better go back downstairs. Mei Lin is probably very cross right now and…"

"That can wait. Right now we have serious matters to discuss." Nikki put her hands on her hips. "Close the door."

"Uh…alright." Eliot replied nervously and gently closed the door.

"Now then, I want the full details about you and the Japanese girl, Ayane."

"Uh…Miss Nikki. I don't think that it would be proper for me to divulge anything about her right now. It is a very…private matter."

"Since you're young, I'm willing to concede to the fact that you're clueless about romance." Nikki walked closer. "But that is no excuse for what must be done."

"Done?" Eliot had to crane his neck up slightly to keep his eyes on hers as Nikki approached. "What are you talking about?"

Nikki bent down slightly to be at head level. "I'm talking about love, silly." She said with a wink. "We're gonna win over that sour puss girl and have you two be the cutest couple in existence."


	25. inner demons

A/N: A GAZILLION apologies, but this semester has been ridin' my ass big time! I've been takin' a fiction writing class, and its stories take priority since those I get graded on. But hopefully this means I'm getting better.

Disclaimer: DMC owned by Capcom. DOA and NG owned by Team Ninja and Tecmo…and I'm DRUNK RIGHT NOW!

Chapter 25. I love college…except the part about going to classes. What's up with that?

**Dead or Alive 4: The Devil Factor**

**Chapter 25: Inner Demons**

_Devil May Cry building_

_United States_

_Saturday-1:13p.m._

"Excuse me?" Eliot replied after he could wrap his head around what Nikki had just told him.

"You heard me. You. The purple haired chick. Love. I think I covered the basics." Nikki said with hands on hips. "I can sense these kinda things."

"Uh…my apologies, Miss Nikki, but I think that you may have misconstrue what is…"

Eliot clamed up when Nikki shoved her scowling face a little closer. "Kid, why are you here?"

"Excuse me?"

"Why…are…you…here?" She said in a slower tone.

"Well…my master's temple was no longer safe…"

"Because of demons, right?" Nikki finished/interrupted. "Well, guess what? Me too. In fact, it astounds me that I haven't broken down and put in a looney bin. Right now, the love of my life is going on some…whatever the fuck it is, and I have to sit here, with my thumb up my ass, going bat-shit _crazy_!"

Eliot, wide eyed and afraid, kept quiet as Nikki sucked in a deep breath to calm herself from her own induced hysteria.

"Now I can either let this eat away at me till I start babbling in my sleep and talk to things that aren't there or I can take my mind off it by doing what I like to do," she smiled and touched the tip of Eliot's nose, "and playing match maker is my all time favorite. You see, I'm a master at this. And I can see that you and she definitely have some sparks between you."

"Mrs. Nikki." Eliot said somberly. "I don't think that it would be appropriate. It's very complicated and I don't think I should discuss why. We should leave her alone."

Nikki gave a tsk tsk, shook her head, and tossed Eliot's hair, an act that both embarrassed and angered Eliot…slightly.

"Kid. You just don't know women. To show that you care about her, you have to be there for her. Listen to her, but don't try to solve her problems for her. She looks like a chick that can take care of herself and doesn't need you to hold her hand. Still, I'm willing to bet that she's taking the whole loner thing a bit too far." Nikki tapped her chin. "I've seen girls like her, acting all cold and distant, but underneath it all, she's hurting. Am I right?"

Eliot almost agreed with her but caught himself. "I don't think that…"

"Look, kid." Nikki stated coldly. "I'm not asking you to sweep her off her feet, or be her knight in shining armor, or any other dumb clichés. A relationship is built on the premise that you two will support one another." The coldness vanished. "So, what I'm asking you, kid, is do you want to be there for her? I'm not going to do all the work here."

Eliot hesitated.

"Or do you want to keep that awkward teen tension between you two and just ignore her as she no doubt comes closer to snapping?"

A little harsh and definitely over the top, Nikki thought, but the boy seemed too wishy-washy, he needed a prod.

Eliot's eyes shot away, his face scrunched together.

"Well?"

Eliot sighed in defeat.

----

"Ayane?" Ayame lightly rapped the door with her knuckles. "Child, are you alright?"

Ayane leaned against the door. Her teeth clenched tight, her breathing shallow.

"What's wrong?" Ayame pressed her hand against the door. "Dear?"

"It's…it's nothing, mother." Ayane managed to say without putting any of her dark emotion into it.

"People don't storm off to their room for nothing." Ayame said. "Please tell me what's wrong."

Ayane tightened every muscle in her body, fighting off the tidal wave of emotions that threatened to drown her.

"I want to help, Ayane. I want to…"

"I'm fine!"

Both mother and daughter flinched at the abrasive words. Ayane sucked in a deep breath and tried again.

"I'm fine, mother." She said more calmly. "I just…want to be alone right now."

Ayame moved her fingers in clenching motions on the door. "Ok, my little butterfly. I'll be here when you need me."

Ayane collapsed. She had snapped at mother. Unforgivable. She disgusted herself. Not for the first time.

"Don't cry." She said to herself. "Don't you dare fucking cry."

Kasumi kept her place by the stairs, knowing that her presence was not needed, and waiting for her mother to come back. She had hoped that life would actually start to become…pleasant. Too much sadness and despair hung on her clan, her family. But fate turned the blackness into light. Mother was back, sister was coming around, her clan would return. She did not know where to categorize her engagement to Dante. It was not something she was jumping for joy for, yet she had to admit, there were far worse things in life.

Ayame made it to the stairs.

"Hello, mother." Kasumi said in her sweetest voice.

"Hello, dear." Her mother replied, a little depressed.

_Helena's penthouse_

_France_

_Sunday-1:22 p.m._

"I'm having a hard time taking you seriously, ninja. Particularly the bit about working together. I almost laughed."

"I had assumed that someone as clear headed and clever as you would have appreciated a partnership with us."

"Don't flatter yourself, ninja. Besides, word through the grape vine is that your clan is no longer the powerhouse it once was."

"Due to the workings of your late father's company. DOATEC has affected us all. It only makes sense for us to consolidate our forces and combine our…"

"You can stop the kiddy cartoon superhero dialogue. I know you, ninja, read up on you when you were Epsilon. You don't just team up with anyone out of the blue. You need me or at least the information I have. But you know what? I don't need you. You've served your purpose. And I suggest you quit now before you lose more."

"You underestimate us, Helena. I am offering you the power that destroyed the Tri-tower and you insult us?"

"Don't get a swelled head. The only reason you could destroy the Tri-tower was that I had cut the security force in half. Believe me, you don't want to know what they wanted to station there."

"Nevertheless we still have power. As well as new allies. One of which I guarantee will tip the balance in our favor. He helped us retrieve…"

"Excuse my interruption, but I don't particularly care. I also have help at my disposal, along with someone brand new to the game that I'm sure could put your newbie to shame. So let me reiterate. I don't want your help. I don't need your help. I will take care of this problem. You should step aside or your clan will be _completely_ destroyed."

"Is that a threat?"

"I'm not the one that wants you dead, ninja. DOATEC has plenty more up its sleeve and it's going bring it all out when it's backed into a corner. Now, I'd love to continue this conversation, but I have a corporate empire to demolish. Good day."

Helena hung up before Hayate could get a word in edge wise, the nerve of the ninja, thinking that he could do more when he was basically paralyzed. He got lucky with DOATEC last time. They won't treat him with kid's gloves a second.

Her phone rang again. She cursed and snatched the phone.

"What?!"

"Hello to you too. I call while you're on the crapper or sumthin'?"

Helena groaned and rubbed her eyes. "Dante. I take it you've returned?"

"With kid and mom in tow."

"And Christie?"

"She behaved herself, sorta. Things got dicey when the kitty cats stopped by."

"So I heard." Helena remembered Dante's report when he and the others boarded the jet back to France. "I see I was right about my instincts. If you weren't there, Kokoro would have died."

"I wouldn't sell out the kid, she's got spunk. And before you get too wrapped up in patting yourself on the back, I would like to point out that…"

"I know. DOATEC is becoming aggressive. I was hoping for a bit more time, but it appears that things must be pushed forward."

"So, boss, what's our next move?"

Helena shrugged off the sarcastic tone Dante had. "We'll discuss it when you return. See you soon."

Her plans were coming along smoothly. Bayman and Leon were espionage masters. If anyone could locate and terminate Donovan, it would be them. Christie might have made a good addition to the team, but Bayman and Leon were more…stable. Besides, Christie's treachery in the past brought up some concerns. She could trust Bayman, he wanted Donovan more than her. Leon's professionalism was something of legend. The only reason she even considered having Christie around was Dante. He could keep her in check.

Dante and Christie would be her muscle should DOATEC roll out its big guns. And it will.

Everything was accounted for, even Hayate and his little band. They might try something, but they lacked the power to truly destroy DOATEC. Their assault on the Tri-tower might have seemed like they could, but the funny thing about it was that all they did was cripple themselves. DOATEC was more on guard now, the countries that had DOATEC corporate buildings would be on alert, anti-terrorist organizations increased their monitoring, and authority groups around the world were answering the cries of DOATEC for increased protection.

DOATEC's armor grew. That's all the ninjas were hitting, armor. Helena was after what was inside.

Everything was going to plan. She just hoped she didn't overlook anything.

_Hitomi's Family Dojo and Residence_

_Germany_

_Sunday-1:25 p.m._

"She said no, didn't she?"

A crack formed on Hayate's cell-phone. His knuckles turned white.

"To summarize it, yes." The wind ninja jammed the phone into his pocket before it broke in his hand.

"Thinking that Helena would be cooperative was rather…improbable." Ryu pointed out.

"It was worth a try."

"So, what now?"

"We can't move without information. Helena has it and won't give it to us. Therefore, there is only one thing left to do."

Ryu did not like where the conversation was leading.

"Tell the others to prepare to leave in a few days. I'll contact Dante's office, see if he can come himself or have one of his partners come."

"Hayate." Ryu felt like he was on a tightrope, anything he said or did might make him fall off. "Just what is it I should have them prepare for?"

"We're going to met Helena and convince her to tell us what we want to know."

Ryu clenched his jaw.

"I know what you're thinking, friend." Hayate said in an ashamed tone. "But I don't know what else to do now. Hacking away randomly at DOATEC facilities as we are now would be foolish. We need a plan. We need information from the inside and Helena is the only one I can think of."

"What will you do if she doesn't give us what we want?"

Hayate stared off into space for a moment before walking away.

_Devil May Cry building_

_United States_

_Sunday-10:42 p.m._

Ayane sat on the ledge of the _Devil May Cry's_ roof, watching the last remnants of sunlight be faded out by the dark blue that would soon turn black. She could not remember how long she had sat there, mindlessly watching the city line. So much went through her mind that she just stopped thinking altogether.

"Why are you here?" She said out loud.

She might not have been thinking, but that did not mean she had let her guard down.

Eliot emerged sheepishly.

"Uh…hi." He said nervously.

An empty pause followed.

"You here for a reason or are you gonna ogle me all day?"

Eliot jolted. "Huh...oh…uh…no. No. I'm sorry…uh."

He looked behind him. Nikki, in the shadows, waved at him, urging him on.

"Um, I was just wondering why you were up here alone?"

"Because I want to be alone." She said bluntly.

Eliot looked back again. More urging.

"You've been 'alone' for days. Human contact won't kill you."

"I thought I made myself clear about you." Ayane said. "I don't want to look at you."

Eliot fought down the pang of hurt that the Japanese girl threw at him.

"I think you're being unfair."

Ayane turned her head slightly.

"Asking me to disappear from your sight because of something I have no control over." Eliot stepped forward, feeling some of his confidence come back. "I don't like this feeling, like it's my fault."

Ayane chuckled. Eliot tightened his brow. Her laugh was sarcastic and condescending. He had heard such laughter from older, larger boys at his school. Bullies to be precise. It distressed him that he drew a liking between this troubled girl and the pathetic low brows that picked on the weak.

"Why should you care about what I think of you?" She stood. "You're just a pampered rich kid being bred to wear a suit and tie. So go off with your Chinese stalker. She's with bar bunny behind you."

Eliot snapped his head around. Sure enough, Mei Lin's head was poking out the door with Nikki. Both were red with embarrassment. He sighed, shook his head, and waved them off. The two disappeared, although, the boy had a feeling that they were still listening in.

"Look." Eliot said, shaking off the jitters and getting a little irritated. "I'm not going to say that I understand what you're going through. Because I don't. I truly don't know what hardships you have faced."

Ayane smiled in self pity. The smile abruptly left her when Eliot seized her by the arm and whirled her around, face to face.

"But that doesn't mean that you know what my life is like." He said with absolute conviction.

She was too surprised to really register the fact that Eliot had manhandled her. Confusion replaced her surprise when Eliot's eyes drifted down to her arms and he gasped.

"What…what the bloody hell are you _doing_ to yourself?!" He fully grasped her left arm, inspecting it.

Ayane looked down and almost feinted. A series of cuts went up her arm, width wise. They were superficial when she looked at them closely. Most of the blood had already congealed.

"I…how did…" She was at a lost. She finally noticed the kunai in her right hand. Was she actually cutting herself without realizing it?

"This doesn't make any…" Her eyes widened briefly before she returned her sneer. "Raidou."

"Who?"

She yanked her arm away. "It's nothing. Just forget it."

"I am not going to just go away, Ayane." Eliot squared his shoulders.

Ayane looked at him, up and down. She turned her head with a huff and walked around him.

She stopped at the door.

"You coming?"

Eliot blinked in surprise. "Where are we going?"

"Somewhere out of the earshot of idiots." She said.

-----

"I don't like her!" Mei Lin huffed as she watched Eliot and Ayane walked out the front door. "She's a bully! She's acting like she's in charge! She…" Mei Lin paused when she realized that Nikki looked like she was not paying attention. "You're not even listening! I bet you can't even understand Chinese! This is just great! That…that…Japanese hussy's trying to steal my Eliot away and you can't even understand me!"

As Mei Lin continued on her tangent, Nikki leaned against the front door with folded arms. Apart of her wanted to shadow them and see what would happen, but she knew better than to intrude at this point. Sometimes it was best just to stay back and wait. Keep interfering and manipulating and soon the love is more fake than real.

She just hoped that she taught Eliot enough to know how to react when Ayane opened up.

"…and another thing, I saw you eating _my_ cookies! Mama Ayame got me those. They had marshmallows in them! You'd better stop or you'll get fat, old lady!"

Nikki smiled sweetly, kneeled down in front of Mei Lin, and put her face inches from the Chinese girl.

"It's not nice to insult people, little girl." Nikki said in perfect Chinese. "And you'll be the one to get fat if you keep wolfing down those things like you did at dinner."

Mei Lin stared, wide eyed.

"My favorite restaurant is Mr. Wong's Emporium." She still spoke in Chinese. "He's a sweet old man, taught me the language in no time flat." She winked and stood up to her full height. "As for your little crush on Blondie, you'd better snap out of that dream before you get your heart broken. He isn't going to wait on you to grow up. Now get to your room, it's past your bedtime."

Mei Lin face scrunched together, tears flowed freely, and she wailed and ran into the store with her fists in her eyes.

Nikki sighed. A little cruel but the kid needed to learn eventually. Besides, she was young and still has a lot of life ahead of her.

As for Eliot, she had a feeling that he would be in for a ride. Ayane seemed like a girl with a lot of baggage, delicacy was essential.

-----

Eliot felt out of place. All around him were signs of decrepitude and poverty, buildings barely hanging together, perpetually pissed off people, cars in dire need of repair, and more bars and strip joints in a single block than he ever saw in his life. He refused to show his discomfort when he realized that Ayane moved without fear or apprehension in her steps and walked with the same swagger.

He noticed a group of scruffy looking young men that were loitering around the entrance to a building. Ayane changed course so that they would pass right in front of the group. Naturally the group suddenly became aware of Eliot and Ayane. Like an oozing mass, they sluggishly rose and intercepted the two.

"Ah…look at this, the lovers go for a walk downtown." A wiry male engulfed in a goose-feathered jacket drawled with a chuckle. "Hey kid, why not share your good fortune?"

Eliot's eyes darted around, taking in the goons' positions and types. Most looked like weaklings but a few were burlier and could be a threat if ignored.

"Hey, check this out, we got ourselves some Chinese takeout!" A portly guy crudely bellowed.

"I'm Japanese." Ayane coldly stated.

"Whatever, baby." Another snickered and reached for her shoulder. "Why don't we go somewhere where we can have some real…"

First step, Eliot snapped the man's wrist in three places, the man screamed and leapt back. Second step, Eliot whirled around to the portly man behind him. With a fist to the side of his face, the portly man fell like a sack of concrete. Third step, a knife came at his face. The knife came in a stabbing motion and held improperly. He easily disarmed the man and felled him with a palm to the bridge of the nose.

Three steps, three seconds, three enemies down.

The man in the goose jacket stared blank faced for a moment before snapping. "You little fuck! I'll…"

"Dude." The man with the busted arm said in a shocked tone, grabbing the goose jacket man's arm. "Aren't those two living at…_his_ place?"

Instantly, goose jacket man lost all color in his face and started to back away. "Shit." He said breathlessly and looked around in paranoia. "Don't…don't tell him, okay?" He tried to hiss and took off with the other man leaving behind the others.

Eliot furrowed his brow and stood properly.

"So, you can fight." Ayane said more to herself than to Eliot.

"Did you plan for this to happen?" Eliot asked.

Ayane said nothing and continued on.

-----

"Was it really necessary to reduce the child to tears?"

Nikki shrugged. "What'd you want me to do? Tell her that she'll marry her British boy and live happily ever after? She needed a cold dose of reality."

"It took me an hour to calm her down so she could fall sleep." Ayame sighed. "She's so young. Let her have a dream before you crush it."

"Alright, look, I'll concede that point, but this is larger than Mei Lin. At least how I see it."

"You must mean Ayane and Eliot."

"So you know too." Nikki smiled.

"Of course. I am Ayane's mother. But do you think it is wise to leave them be in this city at night?"

"Their tough kids, besides, Trish has told me that the street trash here won't dare mess with any of us. She said that everyone here is scared shitless of Dante. Whoever he is."

"Still a mother has to worry."

Nikki chuckled. "I wonder how much I made my mother worry. I wasn't exactly a little angel when I was little."

"Don't feel too bad." Ayame drank from a teacup. "I'm sure your mother will have her revenge when you have children of your own."

"That a mom joke?"

"You'll get it when you become one."

Trish waltzed into the kitchen to see the two women enjoying a late night drink at the table.

"Mind if I join ya?"

"Of course!" Nikki proudly proclaimed. "Just us girls right now."

Trish opened the refrigerator, fished out a bottle of wine, and plopped down besides Nikki.

"So, Nikki, enjoying your stay here at Motel _Devil May Cry_?" Trish joked. "Couldn't help but notice that you've taken a special interest in the teens."

"News travels fast." Nikki commented.

"It's a small building." Trish drank the wine straight from the bottle. "And since you seem to like the two, I was wondering if the both of ya could keep tabs on them and the office for a while."

"Are you going somewhere?" Ayame asked.

"Got a call from some guy that hired Dante to spring you from DOATEC. Said he needed some muscle. And since Dante's not around and Lucia is out doing her own thing, looks like I gotta step up. Besides, I was getting kinda bored lately."

Ayame looked uncomfortable for a moment. "The man. You mean my son, Hayate."

Trish's smugness left. "I believe so."

"I wished I could have spoken with him." Ayame spoke softly.

"Sorry." Trish said. "But the guy wasn't a small talker. Kinda cold."

"Yes." Ayame smiled painfully. "I've noticed."

Nikki kept quiet, afraid that she might accidentally say something offensive or inappropriate.

"Well." Trish said in a voice meant to switch topics. "I'll be leaving sometime tomorrow. I'd have Enzo check up on ya, but…he's…screw it, there's no way I can sugar coat this, the man's an idiot."

"I think we can manage by ourselves." Nikki said when she noticed that Ayame did not seem to be paying attention.

-----

After a half hour of silent wandering, Ayane lead Eliot to a night club called _Evening Sun_. Inside, his eyes were confused by the strobe lights, a thick veil gushing from a smoke machine, and numerous neon glo-sticks. He squinted and tried to examine the room, but it hurt his eyes too much. People moved to the thunderous bass-heavy techno beat. The few dancers that he could make out were young people of various ethnic backgrounds. All entranced by the music and swayed with energy that Eliot suspected came from hallucinogenic drugs. The club was packed.

"This will do." Ayane seized Eliot's arm so they could not get separated. "This way."

Eliot blushed uncontrollably at the touch. He felt rather foolish about it when he noticed that she was not moved like he was.

She guided him through the crowd. Half way through the dance floor, a lithe woman with curly black hair covered in sweat bumped into Eliot, causing him to break his hand hold with Ayane.

"Well, hey there, cutie." The girl's voice was fuzzy. She seemed a little dazed, tensed and relaxed all at once. No doubt from the rave's drug of choice. "Haven't seen you here before." She slinked her arms around Eliot's shoulders. "Whaddya say you hang with me for a bit? Maybe a younger guy might be what the doctor ordered."

"Uh…I'm afraid I must decline. I'm with someone…"

"Ohhh, love the accent. British, right?" The slightly taller woman pressed her forehead against his. "You'll be a gentleman with me, right?"

Someone shoved the woman off Eliot. Ayane put herself between the two.

"Beat it." Ayane glared.

Eliot feared a reprisal, but instead the woman smiled and shrugged.

"Ah, I see, you prefer the Asian persuasion." She joked. "Well if you get tired of her, be sure to look me up. Be careful, she looks like she prefers to be the boss in bed."

Ayane sneered. Eliot blushed harder and cast his eyes down.

"Slut." Ayane spat and grabbed Eliot's hand again, this time tighter.

Ayane made her way to the far side of the club. There were a line of booths, most filled with couples that were almost fused with each other. Ayane found one that was empty.

Eliot sat at one end, expecting Ayane to take the other. Instead she made him slide down some and sat next to him.

"It's hard enough to hear each other as it is," she said.

"Then why are we here and not someplace more quiet?" Eliot almost had to shout.

She took his head and rotated it to her. "Like this, so we don't have to yell at each other," she said when she pressed her cheek to his.

Eliot's first reaction was to jerk away when he felt her breath on his ear, but her hold had a strength that belied her slender frame.

"Telling you not to interfere hasn't worked since that new woman started putting foolish thoughts in your head so maybe I should explain further." She spoke into his ear. "But if I do, you'll promise to actually keep your word and stay away."

Eliot ignored the butterflies in his stomach and replied in confidence. "Not if I don't like what I hear."

Ayane did not say anything for a bit, she chuckled. "Still wanna be my savior? Still wanna protect me?" She said in her flirty and cruel voice. "Will you take care of me? Make me fall for you?" More chuckles. "Maybe get me in your bed?"

Eliot groaned. "That's not what I…"

"I was born because my mother was raped by her brother-in-law."

Eliot's words died in his mouth.

"I'm a living embodiment of sin. I am the pain and humiliation my mother had endured." She continued. "I am something that never should have existed. I am a curse upon others. Upon myself. I've had little that I could call my own. And it's all being taken from me, bit by bit."

A moment ticked by as Ayane allowed Eliot to absorb what she said.

"You'll be taken away too if you get too close."

Eliot did not really want to say what he said next, but he had to. "Does that mean you call me your own?"

"I can't help it." Ayane said in self pity. "Your eyes. Your goddamn eyes." She chocked. "They're his. The same color. The same stupid innocent stare. The same stupid…" She trembled.

It dawned on him why she chose a rave bar. She did not want him to hear her cry.

She clung to him. Eliot held her.

"I can't lose him again." Ayane whispered. "I don't know if I can hold it together if it happens again. If you died, it'll be like he…"

He repeated what he said to her in his room, "I won't die."

She half laughed half sobbed. "Do you know what happens to the people in movies that say that line?" She wiped her eyes with her hand. "I know you can defend yourself, but this…this isn't like the tournaments. People…_things_ are going to try and kill you."

"I know."

"You are so…"

"Do you want to know why I studied Xing Yi Quan?"

Ayane said nothing.

"You shared your life with me. I'll share my life with you."

"Always the gentleman, eh?"

"Not quiet." Eliot smiled. "When I was young, I was bullied constantly, because I was smaller than most boys."

"What about your face? Kinda girly."

"That too." Eliot muttered. "Anyway, after a while, I was so scared that I refused to leave my home. My parents persuaded me to take a martial arts class. I did alright, built up some self-confidence, but the bullying continued, because I was afraid to actually use what I learned."

"Then I went with my parents on a vacation to China. When I was there, I saw a man give demonstrations on Xynyi Liuhe Quan. He asked me to try, saying he saw the spirit of a martial artist in me." He smiled. "I tried it out and…I don't know what happened to me but I just…flowed with it. The man said it was like I knew how to do it all along. He brought me to a temple where I met Master Gen Fu."

When a full minute ticked by without Eliot continuing, Ayane asked why he stopped.

"I just want to make sure I wasn't boring you. You seem to be listening."

Ayane could have melted steel with the gaze she gave Eliot. The boy merely smiled something that both elated and hurt her.

"He was impressed with me, something that really surprised the guy who took me. Later I found out that Master Gen Fu never liked anyone who tried to learn martial arts from him. What he said next surprised me. He thought that I was not suited for Xynyi Liuhe Quan. He found small mistakes I made, ones neither I nor the man noticed. Instead he showed me Xing Yi Quan. I couldn't do it as well as I did Xynyi Liuhe Quan, but…well practice makes perfect. I became a new me when I came back."

"I'm going to guess that you solved your bully problem."

"Nope. Still get picked on." Eliot gave a toothy grin.

Ayane blinked. "What? You're still afraid to use what you learned on them?"

Eliot shook his head. "Nope. In fact, I've fought off a couple."

"Then why do they still bully you?"

"Because, like true cowards, they know when to not openly challenge someone. They can play pranks on me, tease me, but they won't do anything physical. Only when they start that do I fight back."

"Why?" Ayane almost laughed. What Eliot said was too ridiculous for her. "You like getting pushed around? Explains why your stalker and bar bunny get their way with you."

"Someone who fights someone else because of what they said only shows their own weakness." Eliot calmly spoke. "My master told me that when he started training me. If I started fighting people just because I didn't like what they said, what difference would there be between the bullies and me?"

Ayane snorted in amusement. "Thank you for the after-school special message. What's tomorrow's? Proper hygiene?"

Eliot ignored Ayane's statement. "I was weak and scared before. But I've changed. Everyone changes sometime in their life. Even you. The point is, I'm not afraid, because I know how to handle myself. In a way, martial arts aren't so much about obtaining power, but to be able to use it without being handicapped by fear or using it unwisely."

Guys with upbeat positive attitudes like his usually got under her skin, but for some reason, his did not. At least, not as much.

"Maybe we should head back." Eliot said. "Before we worry everyone."

Ayane groaned. "I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that you're a momma's boy."

Eliot was about to protest when she grabbed his hand.

"Come one. There's something else I want to see."

_Christie's Paris safehouse_

_France_

_Monday-9:16 a.m._

A spear of light pierced his eyes. He grimaced, lifted a hand to block out the intruding beam, groaned, and then turned over in the bed, covering his head with the comforter. Was it morning already? He cracked open an eye to take in his surroundings. He was in a pearlescent king side bed with silk sheets. There was a plasma screen television on the wall, thick factory made wooden clothing drawers, and walls of dull white. There were no pictures, no knick-knacks, and no personal items of any kind, aside from the pile of clothes strewn about the drab gray carpet. The place was more sterile than homely, like how apartments looked in catalogs.

She came in, dripping wet. A towel wrapped around her torso.

"Wakey Wakey." She cooed.

A deathly groan came from Dante. "Jesus. What time is it?"

"A little after nine." Christie grabbed a remote and switched on the television. It was set on a weather station with a weather man outlying the weeks weather in French that just rolled off his tongue. "Going to be nice and warm. Maybe you should wear something else besides that coat."

"My coat's my image." Dante sat up and ran a hand through his bed head hair. "Every serious mercenary has an image. A tattoo, a scar, a rare gun, or something."

"Men, such show offs." She shed the towel and used it to dry her hair.

"Isn't that the pot calling the kettle black?" Dante countered.

Christie smiled and shrugged innocently.

Dante sighed. Even though Christie was still a threat, even when she was an 'ally', Dante found his attention drawn elsewhere, particularly over the demoness Marller, more of dad's skeletons coming out of the closet. And whoever the fuck the ice guy was, he looked equally like bad news. Marller was far past angry at his old man unlike all the other bozos with their own sob story. There was no telling how far she would go. To add to the drama, she was just a small player in the grand scheme of things. At least that was how he felt.

"Thinking about something?"

Dante realized that Christie had crawled up to him like a cat and was now inches from his face with her sinister, seductive look that she should patent.

"Never pegged you for a daydreamer."

"Just thinking." Dante said. "I'm allowed to think, aren't I?"

"Oh, I don't know." She moved closer. "Should you think when you got me right here?"

"I was unaware that I had a choice."

"Were you thinking about that cat woman?" She ran her tongue on his cheek. "Were you envisioning her instead of me last night?"

"If that were true I would have sliced you into quarters then hit the bars." Dante turned away. Christie followed after him.

"You're not the type of guy that gets preoccupied with a girl like her." Her teeth and breath brushed his ear. "Is it something else?"

"I've been in a lot of situations that I can only describe as apocalyptic." Dante tried to move away again, but to no avail. "Usually I wouldn't give a rat's ass, but this reeks of something."

"Of what?" Christie probed Dante's ear with her tongue.

Dante gave up trying to bat her away. "These hit and run tactics. Usually these types of demons come and take something. But to fight for no reason, and then split. It doesn't make sense."

"What's so bizarre about demons acting aggressive?" She softly chewed on his earlobe.

"If it were a bunch of flunkies, maybe I'd buy it. But high-level demons? They're the living embodiment of James-Bond-Villain stereotypes. Scheming, hiding, monolog-ing. This is way too chaotic. Either my brother can't keep his shit together or…"

"Or what?" She pushed her body against his.

Dante smirked. She was good, using foreplay as a smokescreen while she pumped him for information with innocent sounding questions. Fortunately, he had plenty of experience with women like her.

"Nothing." He answered smugly. "By the way, I always wondered. What's with this tournament thing?"

She made an 'hmm' sound that sounded like she had heard someone try to make a joke. "What's wrong? Feeling left out?"

"Just making bedroom chatter." It was Dante's turn to sound innocent. "What? Don't like it when I talk in bed?"

She chuckled lightly, rubbing her cheek against his. "A spectacle, is what it is. Nothing more than an act to distract the world from its problems."

"Than why do you fight in it?"

"Sometimes it gets me closer to my target." She traced her fingertip on his bare chest. "Plus, I suppose it gives me a rush."

"An adrenaline junkie?" Dante snickered. "Thought I was the only one."

"But what do you do after the rush is gone?" Christie pressed her body against his with the comforter acting as a barrier. "The problem with our addiction is that we can't just pick a fight whenever we want when we're craving for our next fix. The only fights that get our blood pumping are against others like us."

"Yeah, and the come down's a real bitch." Dante replied sarcastically.

"So what do you do, Dante? What do you do to take the edge off?"

"Drink a beer? Play some Halo?" Dante answered like he was just asked a stupid question. "I don't know."

"Oh, yes you do." She began to smooth his hair. "I'm talking about the blonde you hang around. Yanks love blondes, right?"

Dante grunted in discomfort. "You'd think that, wouldn't you?"

"Ah, then what about the one with red hair and dark skin? She looks limber, maybe showed you a few moves?"

"Aside from skewering someone with a thousand knives at once, no, not really."

"Your little charade never waivers, does it?" Her thumbs massaged his cheeks. "I know you, Dante. Usually guys like you leave when the shagging's over. But you, hmmm." She grinned lewdly. "You just keep going. And all the talking and questions. You'd think we're married."

"There a point to this? Or are you one of those chicks that like to hear themselves talk?"

She took his mouth in hers. Bit by bit, she was uncovering him. Soon she would turn him.

She ripped the covers away.


	26. best laid plans

A/N: I…hate…the COLD!!! Sorry had to vent. Anyway, I could go on and on about how my classes suck, but that's just beating a pile of wobbly giblets that used to be a dead horse (yes I stole that from Zero Punctuation). So to sum it up, tough times ahead, still working on my fics, will not cancel another fic EVER! So, enjoy!

Disclaimer: DMC owned by Capcom. DOA and NG owned by Team Ninja and Tecmo.

Chapter 26. Back in action for X-box Live! Let's just hope my classes don't suck up all my free time.

**Dead or Alive 4: The Devil Factor**

**Chapter 26: Best Laid Plans…**

_Devil May Cry building_

_United States_

_Tuesday-9:30 a.m._

Nikki slammed her alarm clock when its screeching chimes roused her from her peaceful dreams of relaxing on the beach of Zack's Island and flying through the air on wings made of silk. Now she had to deal with bed head and a mess that would stare at her in the mirror. Her full bladder ensured that she would not fall back asleep.

With a groan she rolled out of her bed, readjusted her panties that rode up during the night and straightened out her tank top.

She lumbered to her bathroom, a note tacked on the door. Cocking an eyebrow, she remembered not seeing it there when she went to bed and snatched the note.

_Nikki,_

_We went with Trish. Our clan needs us. Look after Lady Ayame._

_Ayane and Kasumi_

Nikki reread the message, shrugged, and entered the bathroom.

"Once less person to worry about." She said. "Well, two."

When she was done, she noticed another note that was slid under her door to the hallway.

_Dear Miss Nikki,_

_I have decided to accompany Miss Ayane, Miss Kasumi, and Miss Trish. I ask that you take care of the others during our absence. I will try to return as soon as possible._

_Eliot_

She smiled. "Going along with her, eh? A step in the right direction."

She walked down stairs not bothering to change. It was mostly women in the house anyway. She scratched her scalp and yawned.

With almost everyone gone, it was her and Ayame in charge. Although there was really nothing to take charge of, no one really did anything.

When she hit the kitchen, she raided the fridge, made toast, and plopped her buns on a cold wooded chair. As she munched on breakfast, she noticed that the kitchen was empty.

Then she saw the note on the table.

"Gee, I wonder what this one says." She pinned it with her nails and dragged it to her.

_Dear Nikki,_

_My apologies but I had to leave for reasons of my own. I will meet with the others later. I ask that you take care of Mei Lin for me. I do not know when I will return._

_Ayame._

"Oh, this is bull!" Nikki stood up and threw the note down. "I just got here and now I gotta run this shitty store? There isn't a hair salon or manicure place for miles! What am I gonna do all this time?"

Nikki felt like she was being watched. She looked behind her.

Mei Lin stood in baby blue Chinese pajamas hugging a stuffed panda bear.

"I'm hungry."

"Great." Nikki sighed and rubbed her eyes.

_4 miles from Helena's penthouse_

_France_

_Wednesday-1:28 p.m._

Christie yawned and cracked her back. She walked beside Dante as they headed down the sidewalk. "Things have gotten so dull. I almost wish there would be another demon attack."

"Why don't you ask for a nuclear explosion, too?" Dante stuffed his hands in his pockets. "And I have a feelin' you're gonna get your wish."

"Do you think Helena will be able to handle it?"

"All I need to know is that -I- can handle it. You can take care of the human side."

"You mean the boring side." Christie retorted. "The demons are…"

"Dante!" A woman suddenly leaped at the devil hunter and locked him in a bear hug. "I found ya!"

Dante could only wheeze as the woman's hold was like a trash compactor.

Christie blinked, shook her head, and then smiled. "A past flame, Dante?"

The woman released him, but held him at arm's length. "Why'd ya off an' disappear like that? I was worried sick! Thought ya got ran over by a car or sumthin'."

"If only." Dante muttered.

"It don't matter, I suppose. Now ya can take me out on our first date. And we're in Paris! It'll be perfect! See th' Eiffel Tower, take in a show, candle light dinner, dancin' unda th' stars! Like a dream come true!"

Tina's eyes glistened like a school girl caught in her most romantic fantasy.

"Not even gonna ask how ya found me." Dante muttered.

"It wasn't easy. First you were here, than in Japan, than back again, you jus' won' stay still, boy!" Tina smirked. "I like that. Ya got energy runnin' through ya. We jus' gotta channel it."

"Tina." Christie said and crossed her arms. "Nice hat. Are you trying to tell everyone you're a tourist?"

Tina looked over at the British assassin like she just realized that she was there and pulled on the brim of her cowboy hat. "This? It's my image. Like your lil' cat suits." Tina put her hands on her hips. "And what're you doin' here, Christie?"

Tina's light brown leather jacket reflected the sun. Underneath was a strapless, sleeveless red top that clung to her tightly, emphasizing her chest. Her jeans also looked uncomfortably tight. Christie had on her black leather pants and a tube top with a single strap on her left shoulder.

"Dante and I are partners under the employment of Helena." Christie said. "And we were on our way to a meeting. So if you'll excuse us."

Christie took Dante's arm and pulled. She took three steps before she felt resistance on Dante's end. She turned to see Tina holding on to his other arm.

"Now let's not get all high school about this." Christie said.

"I found him first. And we gotta lotta things t' do."

"As much as I'd like to see two women fight over me," Dante shrugged off the women's grasp, "Helena's gonna nag if we don't get movin'."

He began to walk away.

"Hey! Dante, wait!" Tina called after him.

Christie held out her arm to stop the American multi-star. "Our job really isn't for…a civilian. Why don't you go on a shopping spree and schmooze for the paparazzi."

Tina smacked Christie's hand away. "Don't chu treat me like an idiot!"

Christie, bemused, lost her smug look for a brief moment.

"Ya think ya won? Ya think ya got him wrapped 'round yer lil' finger?" Tina glared. "Stick t' killin', cause love ain't in yer genes."

Christie watched for a moment as Tina bounded after Dante, her cold face replaced with her airheaded happiness.

"Yanks." Christie shook her head. "Always have their heads in the clouds."

She caught up to the two. Tina was hanging onto Dante's arm. Dante acted like she was not even there. An odd pair, a blonde cowboy-ish girl and a white haired man with a red leather coat. Very…showy. Maybe they did fit together. And maybe Christie would turn straight and read to sick kids at the orphanage. Finders keepers.

She almost bumped into Dante. He had stopped in front of a bench. A man was reading the paper. Although he held it rather high, obscuring his face. He was definitely trying to make himself blend in. He was trying so much that it had the exact opposite effect. Dante reached out and with a finger, pulled down the paper.

"Thought so." Dante said.

"Daddy!" Tina shrieked in horror. "Jus' what th' hell are you doin' here!"

Bass snarled and rose to his full height. "Don't you curse in fron' of yer daddy, lil' missy! I would like t' think that I at least raised ya good enough fer that!"

"I can't believe yer stalkin' yer own daughter!" Tine countered. "Think about what th' tabloids will say!"

"Th' tabloids can stick it where th' sun don't shine! I wanna know why yer tailin' this guy!" Bass thrust a meaty finger at Dante.

"I told ya already! He's my new boyfriend!" Tina crossed her arms.

Dante could hear Bass's teeth grinding. "That is a load of horse manure! Ya met the guy once! I thank the almighty that yer mother's not here to see her lil' girl goin' out with random guys off th' street!"

"Stop actin' like I'm a hooker!" Tina screamed. "He's my boyfriend! We ain't rompin' 'round in the back of my car!"

Christie noticed that people were starting to stop and stare.

"Let's go." Christie said and pulled Dante along.

She swore under her breath when she heard the arguing voices catch up to them.

_Unknown location_

_France_

_Wednesday-1:42 p.m._

"She has bodyguards. All professionals with at least ten years experience. Some have military training. Ten, no more than fifteen men. Only about eight are on duty at a time. Lightly armed. Handguns only. Nothing we can't handle." Ryu said. "Kokoro and her mother have been relocated to the tower. Kokoro might intervene, but if we play it right, she won't even know we were there."

"What about her new guy?" Trish asked while she traced her fingertip on the edge of Sparda. "You said she was braggin' about him."

"I'm afraid I don't know." Ryu admitted. "He's not on the books and everything about him is very hush-hush. We do know that Leon and Bayman are under her employment, but their location is unknown."

"I doubt Helena keeps them around her for protection." Hayate said. "They'll be out on assignment. Probably on the other side of the world."

"Really? That's a shame." Jann Lee joked. "I was wantin' a rematch with that Italian guy." He flexed his bicep and studied it. "He knew how to fight like a real man. Power and passion."

"Don't expect him to be the same way if we run into him." Lei Fang added. "He's a mercenary. This isn't the tournament. He'll just as likely kill you."

Jann Lee snickered. "He's welcome to try."

"I'll remember that when he puts a bullet in that thick skull of yours." Lei Fang countered.

"Let's not get carried away." Hitomi tried to intervene.

"Agreed. We should focus on the matter at hand." Hayate nodded and tapped at the blue prints he 'borrowed'. "Ryu and I shall enter through her patio. Trish, you'll come from the roof. The others will come from below via the stairs. Our resources are limited, so we will be unable to prevent the enemy from contacting help should things become heated."

"Prevent?" Jann Lee sounded like he heard a joke. "Why don't we just beat the living crap outta her bodyguards before they do anything like that?"

"The bodyguards aren't the only ones who live in that building. All it takes is for one overlooked employee to hit the silent alarm before half of Paris police show up." Hayate stood up straight. "Hopefully we won't have to use brute force. Spike her drink. Bundle her up when she's out and we vanish. If we do this right we'll be on a plane back to Germany before anyone knows what's going on."

"Grab and run, eh?" Trish said. "That's a speed and stealth move, not strength. Why have all of us in on it?"

"Yeah. I'm not a cloak and daggers type of guy." Jann Lee concurred.

"Insurance. In case things do turn ugly." Hayate said like it pained him. "We can't afford chances with this. If we fail, there is no plan B. Understood?"

Everyone nodded.

"Good. If you do have to neutralize the bodyguards, keep your cool. But I doubt she'll have anything else waiting for us."

"Maybe, maybe not." Trish said. "Someone was tailing me when I landed."

Hayate's head snapped up. "You were? By whom? When?"

"Not sure, I think it might have started when I got here, but I lost 'em" Trish shrugged. "Went to the bathroom and did my little vanishing act."

Hayate crossed his arms. "Right now, you getting followed could mean anything. We'll continue as planned."

_Helena's penthouse_

_France_

_Wednesday-1:56 p.m._

Helena rubbed her temples. In front of her were Dante, Christie, and two others that were the cause of her headache. She sat behind her desk with Kokoro and Miyako at her sides.

"I suppose there's a reason to this." Helena grumbled in French. "Although I'm sure it's going to make my head hurt worse."

"What you say?" Tina asked.

"Nothing." Helena replied in English. "Tina. Bass. May I ask why you've decided to visit my homeland?"

"Me?" Tina asked in total innocence. "I dunno. See th' sights. Take in th' culture." She suddenly latched onto Dante. "Have sum quality time with my boyfriend."

Dante rolled his eyes but did not resist Tina's hold.

"And I'm here t' make sure that this here girl gits her act together!"

"Stop tryin' t' protect me, daddy!" Tina countered. "I'm a grown woman, fer cryin' out loud!"

"People, please." Helena tapped her desk to get their attention. "Let's focus here."

"Before this turns into an episode of _Jerry Springer_." Dante said.

"I'm afraid that your…boyfriend…is currently working for me." Helena stressed. "So I…"

"Oh, pipe down." Tina interrupted. "Yer startin' t' sound like _her_!"

Tina stabbed an accusing finger at Christie who a moment ago was just watching the show. Helena and Christie's eyes met for a brief second. The assassin shrugged and smiled a cool smile. Helena narrowed her eyes and turned away.

"Perhaps you don't understand the nature of Dante's job." Helena continued. "We are involved in some very dirty, very dangerous work. You should leave before you get involved."

"No way!" Tina tightened her hold on Dante. "I let 'em out of my sight fer one minute and he disappears int' thin air! I ain't lettin' him get away!"

"Stupid woman."

"What was that?" Tina snapped a sour glare at Christie. "What'd ya jus' call me?"

"Look at you. You're pathetic." Christie said with arms crossed and a self-righteous look. "You try to put a leash on him. You try to control him through your little schemes. He isn't a boyfriend to you. You want him to be your doll. Do whatever you say. What rubbish."

"Is that so?!" Tina let go of Dante and marched herself to Christie putting her mere inches from her face. "Cause if I recall, yer tryin' to put a spell on 'em too. The only difference is that I'm tryin' to make 'em a star like me. All yer doin' is spreadin' yer legs for 'em."

Miyako quickly covered her daughter's ears. "Please! There is a child present!"

Helena gave Dante a quick glance. Dante met her gaze before looking away. Not embarrassed, but definitely not pleased either.

"Tina, Tina, Tina." Christie tsked. "Pointing fingers at me? You're no better, really. I may tease, but I keep my antics in the bedroom. Unlike you, who seem to be bent on showing as much skin to as many people as possible. Loved your nude scene in your last movie, by the way. Almost pornographic."

"What?!" Bass bellowed. "My lil' girl's in _adult movies_?!"

"It ain't a skin flick, daddy! Ya don't see anythin' really!"

"I can't believe this! Why me lord?" Bass looked at the ceiling with raised hands like a phony preacher trying to get people to send him money. "What'd I do t' deserve this?"

"So much for this not turning into _Jerry Springer_." Dante quipped.

"Maybe we'll get to see everything when you and your 'boyfriend' make a home movie." Christie put her hand on her cheek. "Celebrity sex tapes are all the rage, you know."

"I'm gettin' real sick of yer mouth, skank!" Tina formed her hands into fists. "Maybe I should break it."

"Typical yank behavior. Using violence to solve your problems."

Helena slammed her fist into her desk. "Enough!"

Her rage garnered everyone's attention.

"If you want to be with Dante, fine. I don't care. But stay out of our business. I am not running a babysitting service."

"I just got déjà vu, for some reason." Dante thought.

"What's gotten into your panties?" Tina asked.

"Not Dante." Christie giggled. "Although I bet she wishes."

"You." Helena leveled a finger at Christie. Everyone waited for her to continue, but she did not. Instead there was the look in her eyes, the one Dante seen before in the mirror when he was younger.

Miyako held Kokoro close. Both looked upset.

Helena's phone beeped. A feminine voice said a few words in French. Helena pressed a button and responded.

"My other employees have arrived." Helena said, still angry. "Miss Miyako, Kokoro, and I need a moment alone with them."

"Whatever." Tina said with a shrug and headed for the door. Her father was right behind her, venting his frustrations over her shoulder, going on about 'purity' or something. Christie followed, but not before she stroked Dante's arm and shooting a quick glance to Helena.

"We'll talk later." Helena said to Dante.

The devil hunter huffed and went out the door. He passed two men, both burly, and wearing gaudy street clothes. One had white hair, due to old age, and circular sunglasses. The other had black hair and a face that seemed to be set to permanent scowl. Both men seemed to pay him no mind, but Dante could feel their inquisitive eyes, sizing up his build, how he walked, where his hands were. They were military men. Not the guys who fought for duty and honor and country. These were the hardcore ones who fought because they knew nothing else, the special ops ones, the ones that could kill you just on sheer impulse.

"Now that th' sour puss is outta our hair," Tina seized Dante's arm again, "why don't we git sumthin to eat?!"

_Paris International Airport Hotel_

_France_

_Wednesday-4:17 p.m._

"I can't believe you lost her!" Ayane scolded. "At the airport lobby no less! I mean she literally just got off the plane!"

"She also literally disappeared!" Kasumi tried to counter. "I tried!"

"I can't believe this." Ayane put her face in her hand. "I should have followed her and you should have looked after mo…Lady Ayame. This is what I get for trusting you."

"Insulting me will not change our situation."

"Will you two stop it!" Elliot lay back on the hotel bed. "Kasumi's right, arguing gets us nowhere."

"Gee, I thought you were on my side." Ayane said sarcastically.

"I am on no ones side here because were all on the _same_ side." Eliot said pointedly. "And we're facing a problem. So let's find a solution instead of pointing fingers."

Ayane could not help but smirk. "Sounds like our leader wants us to get along."

"I'm no leader." Eliot said seriously. "I just…"

"Just what?" Ayane asked.

Eliot looked at Ayane with something in his eyes that made her curious before he turned away. "Nevermind."

Ayane did not press. She was still mad at him for tagging along. She told him to look after Ayame before Kasumi and Ayane left. Of course, Ayame decided to go as well, but not until after Eliot abandoned her side to join with her as well. With all the confusion at the airport when they all met, they lost track of Trish. They almost found her at the French airport, but…poof…gone. Still, he was trying to help.

"We should have just asked Trish instead of just shadowing her." Kasumi said.

"Oh, don't start with that again." Ayane grumbled. "We have to keep ourselves concealed, that is our way."

"Your way got us stuck in France and separate from Trish." Eliot said.

Ayane blinked. "Did you just talk back to me?"

Eliot pondered for a moment. "Yeah, I guess I did."

Her eye twitched. Cheeky little bastard. After what happened when they left the rave club, he thinks he can…

Ayame emerged from the bathroom, straightening her kimono. Some steam came billowing from the door.

"Did you enjoy your shower, mother?" Kasumi asked.

"Somewhat. I prefer the baths back home, but no sense in complaining."

Ayane wanted to ask why her mother wanted to come with them. This was battle, she was no warrior, but she wanted to come and Ayane had no power to say no.

"I'm getting a bit hungry." Ayame said seemingly out of the blue. "I think we should get something to eat. Personally I would like to have some authentic French cuisine." She turned to her youngest daughter. "Kasumi, perhaps we should go look for a restaurant."

Kasumi hesitated. "Um…yes. Ok."

The two women left but not before Ayame gave her youngest daughter an all-knowing grin.

"Did my mother just…" Ayane thought and looked back at Eliot who was still staring at the hotel ceiling. The conversation with her mother was in Japanese. A language Eliot did not know. "..give me alone time with him?" She smiled and suppressed a chuckle. "Thanks, mother, but I'm not a high school ditz."

"So, what's the plan?" Eliot asked. "We do have a plan, right?"

Ayane brushed off his remark. "There's only one reason I can think of for Master Hayate to come to Paris. Helena."

"Do you think that…he'll…you know?"

"No." Ayane said. "Killing her has no real advantages."

"So what then?" Eliot sat up. "What is he going to do?"

"Information. He needs information about DOATEC."

"Will she give it to him?"

"What do you think?" Ayane snorted. "You know what she's like."

"So what are…?"

"Eliot." Ayane interrupted. "Just let me do the thinking here. And get ready, cause we're going out tonight."

"Out?" Eliot sounded unsure. "You mean…like…a date?"

Ayane rolled her eyes. Boys. "No, kid, I mean we're going to help my brother."

"Kid?" Eliot chuckled. "We're the same age."

Ayane narrowed her eyes. "You're getting awfully forward with me." She moved closer to Eliot. "What happened to 'Mr. Courteous the British gentleman'?"

"Relying on stereotypes? What if I thought of you as 'Ms. Submissive the Japanese housewife'?"

"Then I would tear your limbs off and beat you to death with them." Ayane said without a trace of humor and sat down next to him. "Now answer my question."

Eliot smiled. "Because I didn't think you respected people who were well-mannered."

Ayane was speechless, but only for a brief moment. "I don't believe this." She said, almost laughing although she did not find the situation funny in the least. "What? You think we're going out since I gave you that…" She stopped and sighed. "Look, I don't know what you're trying to do, but stop it."

"I'm not him." Eliot said plainly.

"I…" Ayane gripped the bed sheets. "I know…but…" Ayane struggled. "I don't know if it's real."

"What do you mean?"

She looked at Eliot. Her hand came up to his cheek.

"You're real. I know you're real." Her hand went up to his hair, smoothing down his bangs to cover his eyes. "And I know that he was real. And that his love for me was…real." She let her hand fall. "I just don't know if what's inside me is real."

Eliot, stunned and confused, remained silent.

"I can't tell what's real and what's made up by that slimy bastard."

"Who?"

Ayane did not reply. Instead she got up and walked away.

"When I'm free." Ayane said. "Only then will I know."

_Helena's penthouse_

_France_

_Wednesday-8:27 p.m_

"I take it you and Christie are sharing a bed." Helena asked behind her wine glass.

"Jealous?" Dante snickered and propped his feet on Helena's desk.

"People who sleep together are often…close." Helena leveled her gaze. "How close are you to her?"

Dante looked around. Helena had the lights off. The only illumination came from the city through the large windows behind her. All that was left was a white fluffy cat for her to stroke and a fish tank full of man-eating piranhas.

"I don't think anyone can get 'close' to a sociopath."

"True. So true." Helena played with her glass. "But still, I wasn't expecting you two to get married and have little white harried children."

"Neither am I."

There was a pause. Helena looked upset. Well, more upset than usual.

"You know what I'm asking about."

"I do." Dante shrugged. "But it's kinda pointless."

"It's pointless to reassure your loyalty to me?"

"Yep. I mean, what'm I gonna say, no? Right to your face?" Dante made a noise with his nose in a 'are you serious' tone. "You think I'm gonna backstab ya 'cause she threw herself at me? I'm hurt."

"She's a manipulator." Helena said more seriously. "She's dirty. She's…"

"I'm still on your side." Dante interrupted. "Happy?"

Helena said nothing and continued to scowl at him.

"That's what I thought."

"I would be lying if I said I have no regrets bringing Christie in on this." Helena put her wine down. "But the matter is moot. I have already found some work for her."

"What? A paper route?"

"The Executive Board has proven stubborn, despite what I dug up about them. Many have refused to leave. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. Men have a hard time letting go such power." Helena relaxed more in her seat. "If they won't step down on their own, I'll have Christie give them some early retirement."

"Ah, where's the dramatic lighting and thunder when you need it?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh, just give it up, Frenchy." Dante said with open arms. "You ain't foolin' anyone with your little act. I know the type of guys who act like what you're trying to be and you ain't even close. If you were like them, you would've put a bullet in Christie's brain when you had the chance instead of recruiting her, you would've offed your little sister and her mom and track down all your dad's other 'families' so there'd be no competition for inheritance, and you wouldn't be planning for your own death."

"If you are talking about my deal with Christie, you have misinterpreted me." Despite her calm manner of speaking Dante could feel that Helena was severely agitated. "I am not letting her kill me. We shall fight. And if she wins, than she can kill me, but not before I try to kill her."

"Keep spoutin' all you want. You ain't bullshittin' me. You act like a spoiled little rich kid who's better than everyone else but drop way too obvious hints that you're really all sad because you think the world is out to get you. And then, when you wanna change things, you try to become the underhanded schemer ready to cut throats and ruin lives all the while claiming how it's your only choice and make yourself out to be this big selfless martyr underneath it all." Dante chuckled. "I ain't buyin' it. The sociopath doesn't buy it. And I bet you don't buy it either even if you'd rather die than admit it."

Helena stood and slammed her hands on the table. "How dare you! How…"

"What, you wanna hit me?" Dante smirked. "You DOA guys can't take criticism too well can you?"

Her hand twitched, wanting to grab the Glock she had hidden under her clothes since Christie's nighttime visit. Dante caught on.

"So you wanna kill me?" Dante shook his head. "I think I proved how hard that can be."

"You have no right to talk to me in such a way." She hissed.

"Threaten me all you want. But every time I look into your eyes all I see is a little girl crying for help."

She moved and Dante reacted. Her wrists were locked into his hands. She tried to jerk away but his strength was absolute. His face was close. His stare pierced her. The way he looked at her made her feel ashamed and embarrassed, like she was caught naked. She could not look at him in the eye and cast her gaze down.

"Stop trying to protect me." Helena vibrated with rage and fear. "You're no protector. You're no savior. You're no hero. I am a grown woman. I can take on anything."

"Against Christie? Yeah, you can take her. Donovan? Definitely. The world? Maybe, you got the money. But they're not the ones that's got you like this." Dante was suddenly closer, almost touching foreheads. "What you need to be saved from is yourself."

Helena closed her eyes. She trembled but from what he did not know. Her teeth almost began to clatter.

"I know what the world is like when you cross over from where you are. It's dark, cold, cruel, and bleak. You think you're there, but you're not. You're on the edge. But if you fall, you fall forever. You can never climb back out." Dante said without his humor. "You think you're miserable now? Believe me, it gets much worse."

Helena had to control her breathing. Hot ice raced through her, making her shiver, but feel hot, unbearably hot. She opened her mouth slightly to suck in air. Her lips grazed his. She pulled back and pressed her lips tightly together.

"You…you're…you're trying to seduce me."

"I'm tryin' to make you see that you're more in control of your fate than you think." Dante said. "As for the seduction, I wasn't trying, but hey, a curse I suppose."

"Don't tell me you're tired of Christie already." Helena voice was shaky but with a side of dark humor. "And I'm guessing you've had your fill with Tina. She is obviously quite taken with you, though it appears she's gotten too clingy. So now you want the 'Frenchy' as you so lovingly called me."

"Using the 'men are pigs' defense to discredit me?" Dante sighed. "Not very original, but I suppose it's been awhile since I heard rant like this."

"Fine. If you want me, then let's get this over with." She roughly grabbed his hand and stormed toward the door. Men. Still always looking to bed any woman they can. She had thought Dante was different. A quick roll in the sheets and he'd stop his stupid mind games. Normally, she would be disgusted with herself, sex with some stranger. But her pride and dignity were long gone, so it did not matter. She did not even care about getting pregnant or catching something. Death was her ultimate fate.

She stopped when Dante would not move.

"What? What's wrong?" She snapped, but did not look at him. "I am giving it to you. What more could you possibly want?"

"Will you quit dismissing me and hear me out?" Dante was losing his temper too. "Jesus. And women say men don't listen."

"Oh God, you don't want Christie and Tina with us, do you?" Helena moaned and rubbed her eyes. "If you do, you can walk out that door right now!"

Dante whirled her around, flipped her on her back on the desk, and pinned her. "Now do I have your attention?"

Helena snarled and grasped Dante by the back of his head, gripping a fistful of hair. She was not sure if she was into the rough stuff, but it was doubtful they would be doing this again. She plunged her tongue into Dante's mouth.

Dante would have smiled if could use his mouth. Her kissing was rather awkward and she did not seem to know what to do with her free hand. First she was caressing his chest, and then she moved to his back, under his coat, to his thighs. She was erratic, unsure of what she should concentrate on. Definitely a virgin. But he knew what was going to happen next. He had gotten her riled up; she was angry and frustrated and had no way to vent, until now.

She wrapped her legs around his waist. She tried to reach for his belt, but Dante seized her hand and lead it away. A little more time and it would happen. Her body was blazing hot, her grip tight like she was afraid Dante would disappear. And she was the one acting like she did not want to do it.

And she did not, at least not sub-consciously. She was reacting, not thinking, like when she attacked him after she shot him.

Her hand went for his belt again. He intercepted.

She moaned and bit his ear.

Almost there.

She tried to undo her personally designed opera-themed red dress. Dante stopped her.

She sobbed.

And there it was. Just like when he tried to drown his sorrow in the opposite sex. Thankfully for her, he would be more understanding than the partner he had.

He sat her up on the desk. She refused to let go. He held her tight, letting her cry into his shirt. She tried to control her sobs, but her emotions were too wild to be tamed. She was seeking refuge, but she did not know where.

Alcohol. Violence. Sex. All took the pain away, but only temporarily. A lesson he learned the hard way.

"You're right. I'm no hero." Dante said to her. "But I'm a loyal puppy dog."

She sputtered an awkward laugh and continued her crying.

All these women after him, all of them basket cases.

Of course, he was no shining example either.

-----

"He won't be out for sometime." Christie said, getting tired of Tina's pacing. "So sit down already."

"I thought you were only foolin' me about Dante and th' rich girl." Tina bit her thumb. "Thought that look in her eye was jus' plain ol' anger. But I see her now. She's a wolf in sheep's clothin'. They're th' worst type. You?" She waved at Christie without looking at her. "Yer jus' a straight up wolf, prowlin' and sinkin' yer fangs in men. But her?" She shook her head. "Lure 'em in and POW, got 'em wrapped 'round her lil' finger."

"And what of you?" Christie said poking at the strawberry sundae in front of her. Dante had gotten it, but was called into Helena's for a chat. Might as well see what it was like. "Are you a wolf too?"

Tina stopped and whirled around. "I am a woman who knows what she wants." She said like it was a royal title. "I made myself th' best I can be. It's only natural I make my boyfriend th' best he can be."

Christie rolled her eyes and slumped her face into her hand.

The dining hall was filled with small tables with white drop cloths. It was clean and fancy with fine china and crystal. It was also dark and empty. Christie was sharing a table with Tina and Dante.

Bayman and Leon held a table three tables from them, seated at opposite ends, eating stew they made themselves and drinking bottled water in complete silence. They did not even trust the chefs of their boss. They did not even look at each other, just faces down in their food.

Bass was the only one sitting alone. Of course, there was no room for anyone else. Bass found the one thing that could calm him down after his screaming match with his daughter. Food. There was fried chicken, sirloin steaks, potatoes that were mashed, baked, and God only knew what else. She stopped identifying the foods when she felt like she was gaining calories just looking at it. The large man was stuffing his face and washing it down with a pitcher of beer. She wondered if perhaps the man was more fat than muscle. But then she remembered the pile driver he put on her during a match. Definitely muscle in that.

She eyed Bass for a moment longer before going back to Tina who was still pacing like a frantic old man. How could that shaved bear of a man have a child as lithe as her? She must have gotten most of her genes from her mother.

Tina was gorgeous. Very well stacked, curves in the right places. A solid ten in her books, but her temperament and attitude was a major turn off. She could be a wildcat in the sack, maybe spice things up for her and Dante. Of course that would be a ways off. Things had not dulled between her newest conquest and herself yet. Besides, despite her music videos and movies, Tina did not seem like she played for both teams.

But appearances can be deceiving.

"By th' way." Tina finally sat down and grabbed her long island iced tea. "Jus' what is it you an' Dante 're doin' fer Miss Fancy Britches?"

"Just one big beautiful ball of clueless, aren't you?" Christie sighed.

"What was that?!" Tina slammed her fists into the table.

Then there was a pop, maybe a crack. Christie snapped her head to the door. Bayman and Leon had also turned their attention to the door.

"What?" Tina asked.

"Shit." Christie hissed and stood. "Stay here. You'll only get in the way."

She left. Bayman and Leon quickly followed.

-----

Hayate clenched his teeth and backed away and to the side of the door. Who the hell shoots through a door? And how the hell did she know? He was barely four feet from the door, about to check to see if the tranquilizer had taken affect, when she shot at him.

The bullet hole was huge for a pistol shot. Almost like a shotgun blast.

Maybe it was her guest, whoever she had in there with her. Ryu and he only arrived a few minutes ago after drugging all the wine bottles earlier that day. They split up. Ryu went after Christie wherever she was. He was tasked with Helena.

The jig was up, it seemed. Hayate pressed 'send' on his cell phone, calling in the big guns.

Hopefully his life long friend was having better luck.

The door opened. A man in red stepped out.

-----

"Only one shot." Bayman said while the trio raced up the stairs. Not one thought of the elevator, too slow, even for the five floors they had to climb. "Hopefully she got whoever it was that she was shooting at."

"That wasn't a Glock." Leon added, brining up the rear. "Sounded like a goddamn cannon."

"I know whose gun it is." Christie said, leading the way. "Heard it before. She might be fine, but better make sure our bread and butter's still breathing."

Neither man said anything. They reached the top floor and burst in. They sprinted down the corridor. Christie suddenly leaped back. A single kunai struck the ground where she once stood.

Bayman and Leon came up behind her.

A man in black leather appeared from thin air, blocking their path. He rose slowly.

"Ryu." Christie smirked. "It appears that Helena was wrong about you blokes taking a backseat."

"Anyone who underestimates the Mugen Tenshin Clan and myself will live to regret it." Ryu declared.

"Is that so?"

Russian and Italian pistols came to bear on the modern day super ninja. Christie gently pushed them away.

"No." She said without looking behind her. "Get to Helena. I'm sure there are more here."

Bayman and Leon increased the intensities of their scowls.

"Don't tell me that you're worried about me?"

"I'm worried that he'll kill you than flank us when we try to secure Helena." Bayman said coldly.

"Always the professional." Christie smirked.

Bayman snarled and ran back to the other hallway to take the long way to Helena's study. Leon followed, but not before shaking his head and muttering curses.

"Now than," Christie stretched, "let's finish what we started at the Tri-tower." She assumed a She Quan stance.

"I, Ryu Hayabusa of the Dragon Lineage, am more than willing." Ryu moved into a ninjutsu stance as naturally as breathing.

Christie smiled and struck.


	27. assault

A/N: Holy Homework Batman!! I thought I had homework problems before but yeesh! Thanks a lot for your understanding and patience. I will finish this fic and my other or die trying!

Disclaimer: DMC owned by Capcom. DOA and NG owned by Team Ninja and Tecmo.

Chapter 27. If I didn't know any better, I'd think that my instructors don't want me to write fanfiction.

**Dead or Alive 4: The Devil Factor**

**Chapter 27: Assault**

_Outside DOATEC Tower/Helena's penthouse_

_France_

_Wednesday-9:48 p.m._

"There it is." Ayane pointed out.

"You sure?" Eliot asked.

Ayane shot him a look. "I do this for a living, blondy. So, yeah, I'm sure."

Eliot crossed his arms, secretly to keep warm. The roofs of skyscrapers were a lot windier than they showed in the movies. He wished he worn something warmer instead of faded carpenter jeans, a red hooded sweater, and black baseball gloves. However, Kasumi, Ayane, and Ayame were all with him. Ayane wore some sort of strapless dress with a huge bow at the back, Kasumi had her blue outfit, and Ayame was still in her kimono. Not one woman even shivered.

Kasumi held up a small device to her ear. It was blaring yellow with a thick, stubby antenna. He thought it was some sort of walkie-talkie, but she said nothing into it.

"So, what's the plan of attack?"

Ayane smirked. "Plan of attack? We're ninjas, not commandos. The less we have to kill or destroy the better." Seeing Eliot skeptical made her continue. "More deaths mean more questions. More questions mean more people looking for answers. More people looking for answers mean more eyes looking for us. I don't wanna be on the six o'clock news with a few murders to my name."

"Yes." Ayame said. "I wish not to see blood today."

Eliot noticed Ayane suddenly looking ashamed.

Eliot found it odd that Ayame, in a kimono, would want to not only come to France with them, but to be in on the mission. He knew it was dangerous, the sisters knew, and he bet that Ayame knew too. Nonetheless, she was still here, but she appeared…edgy, like she was expecting something to go wrong.

"Is there anything?" Ayame asked.

"Nothing yet, mother." Kasumi replied, still holding the device to her ear.

"She's tapped into the security channel of the building." Ayane whispered to Eliot. "In case Master Hayate is in need of our help."

"Why not just go in and look for him." Eliot whispered back. "And how do you know he's even in that building right now?"

"I know how my brother operates." Ayane said like it was a well known fact. "And it would be foolish to try to interrupt him from his mission. We shall wait until he is done and meet him when he returns to his safe house."

"And how are you going to find him? Is he going to take the trolley?"

"Again, I know how my brother operates. Now quit asking stupid questions."

Eliot smiled. He was beginning to see her cracks. The first time they met, she would not give him the time of day. Now she was freely giving out information.

Things did change after the night club. When they left, she took him to a rooftop. She explained that it was her hideaway from the _Devil May Cry_ shop. Before he could ask why she wanted to show him this, she was kissing him. Saying he was surprised was like saying winter was just chilly. What made it even more bizarre was the way she did it. It was not passionate, more like methodical, just a press of the lips, nothing more. When she broke, she just whispered that he was both the same and different.

"I got something." Kasumi suddenly spoke. "Shots fired."

"Keep talking." Ayane said. "Anything else?"

Kasumi held up a finger for silence. She leaned her head into the device some more. "They're just reporting shots fired. Near Helena's living quarters. They're sending people up to investigate."

Ayane chewed her lip nervously.

"So, should we go?"

No one said anything for a minute.

"Go." Ayame said. "He might need you."

Ayane looked back at her mother. There was something about her face that made Eliot think that the violet haired girl wanted to say something. Instead she nodded and turned back.

"Eliot." She whispered again. "I need you to stay with Lady Ayame."

The British teen looked at the tower. He felt something was wrong.

"Ok. Be careful." He said.

He was expecting one of her snide comments, instead she said, "I will."

With Kasumi behind her, Ayane leapt into the darkness. Eliot tried to keep track of her by her purple bow that weaved through the air like a butterfly caught in a breeze. It was not long until she had slipped into the night.

A pair of hands rested on his shoulders.

"Miss Ayame?" He asked and tried to turn his head around.

She kept him stationary. "Eliot. There's something I will need your help with."

_Helena's penthouse_

_France_

_Wednesday-9:51 p.m._

Bass wandered the corridor, dazed and confused. He held his stomach and belched.

"Oh, man, did I make a pig outta myself." Bass said and picked his teeth with a pick. "But damn was that good."

When he finally felt full, he had noticed that he was alone. Everyone was gone, even his beloved daughter. Feeling rather foolish for being the last one out he began searching. Searching that quickly became being lost.

At first he was irritated, now he was just tired. He wanted to find the first bed or couch or soft floor to just nap. He felt like an old man, but hell he was one. It was his right to forget all the tomfoolery the young ones did.

He was coming to a bend at the end of the hall. Suddenly a man in a black suit rag-dolled into a wall and was knocked out cold. Bass paused for a moment and arched an eyebrow. He rounded the corner and found two people standing over another guard.

"See?" One said and nudged the man with a toe. "Easy as pie."

"We better keep going and catch up with the others. They're…"

The two froze when they turned and spotted Bass.

He instantly recognized three things. One, the two were young women, almost girls, smaller than his Tina. Two, they were from the tournaments, the German/Asian karate girl and the Chinese girl he encountered in Vegas. Three, they did not appear pleased to see him.

"Bass!" The German/Asian girl, Hitomi if memory served, said in a very convincing American accent. "Wh…what are you doing here?"

"Me? What about you?" He stabbed a finger at the unconscious guard. "And why are yer attacking the French lady's suits?"

"We…um…" Hitomi struggled. "I…I mean we came…to…uh…"

"We're here to get Helena." The Chinese girl, Lei Fang, interrupted. Unlike Hitomi, her English was thick with a Chinese accent. "Now what are you doing here? You working for her?"

Bass snarled. "Watch yer tone lil' missy! And whaddya mean, 'git'? Ya takin' her to th' mall or sumthin'?"

"Just stand aside." Lei Fang swept her hand. "You're in the way."

"Is that so?" Bass folded his arms, his full stomach forgotten. "An' what if I said no?"

"Then we'll go right through you." Lei Fang folded her arms in a similar manner.

-----

"Lei Fang!" Hitomi hissed to her friend. "What are you doing? This isn't helping."

"Hey, I've dealt with this lug before. Even if we asked nicely, he wouldn't let us go. I know how to handle this. You make a break for it while I got him occupied."

"Lei Fang…"

"Get ready, fatso, cause here I come!" Lei Fang charged.

Lei Fang breezed past Bass and did a spinning double kick. The heavy American avoided the hit and turned his back to Hitomi to run after girl. Lei Fang kept running down the hall after her kick without losing a step, the ends of her orange cheongsam flapping behind like a tail. When she came to the end of the corridor, she spun to face him. Like a bulldozer, Bass plowed through the wall when Lei Fang jumped aside, creating a hole that a compact car could drive through.

"What are you waiting for? Go!" Lei Fang yelled out to her friend. "I got…"

Lei Fang was cut off when a large pair of hands grasped her waist and yanked her into the hole.

"C'mer brat. I'm gonna tan yer hide!"

"I'd love to see you try, hillbilly!"

Hitomi looked at the hole than back to the hallway they were originally supposed to go through. She hissed a German curse and ran.

-----

"Sorry buddy, but we're closed." Dante lethargically entered the room, twirling Ivory around. "Gonna have to ask ya to leave."

A man in a green and black ninja outfit stood before him. Well, more like in a crouched battle stance or something like that. He saw two swords strapped to the man's back and nothing else. But if he was a ninja, he would no doubt have other little surprises hidden here or there.

The guy also looked like he had seen a ghost. Well, that's what he thought since half his face was hidden.

"By the way, nice job with the wine." Dante held up the wine bottle Helena had with her. "Almost didn't catch it till I stole a drink myself." He poured out the contents onto the floor. "Potent shit, I'll give ya that. If I swallowed it, even I woulda been flat on my back." He tossed the bottle aside. It crashed against the wall, shattering into uncountable pieces.

"Dante?" The man finally said in a Japanese accent.

"That's me. So, you gonna tell me what you…" Dante trailed off for a moment. "Wait, do I know you?"

The ninja pulled down his mask revealing a young man that was very pissed off.

"Why have you betrayed us, Dante? I thought you were an honorable man."

"The fuck you…" It suddenly dawned on Dante. "Oh, right, yer that ninja guy in Japan…uh," he began snapping his fingers, trying to dig information from his brain, "Hayatu? Hayato? Mitsubishi? Hayate…Hayate, that's it!"

The wind ninja lowered his head slightly and glared at the devil hunter.

"Hayate?" Helena said, appearing from behind Dante. "I don't believe this. Why have you come here?"

"I have asked for your help, appealed to your desire to destroy DOATEC. And you dismiss and insult us." Hayate said with icy calmness. "We will not ignore our obligations to purge this evil. We require information. Information that you posses."

Helena was blank faced for a moment before adopting a small smile. "I see. So you're kidnappers as well?"

"Dude, for someone who's supposed to be on the side of justice and all that, you use some pretty dirty tactics." Dante said.

Hayate shifted his hateful gaze back to Dante.

"Oh, don't give me that look. I didn't betray nobody. You wanted me to find your mother. I found your mother. Job done. The only thing left is for you to get her and your sisters and pay me."

Hayate kept his stone-faced look. "Actually, in terms of contracts, if you haven't been given payment, you're still under my employment."

"Don't use lawyer talk on me, buddy." Dante replied.

"Leave." Helena said. "I already told you, this no longer concerns you."

"And I already told you that we shall continue."

Helena gave a small laugh. "We? Try you. This is revenge for what they did to you, Epsilon."

The ninja made no movement or facial change.

"Go home. Rebuild your life. Be happy." Helena said. "That is the only true way to have your revenge, to continue to have a life, even when they tried to break it." She turned to go back into her office.

"And what about you?" Hayate called out. "Isn't this revenge?"

Helena stopped.

"Isn't what you doing the same as me? They took your life as well."

The blonde woman took her time before she replied. "Indeed. But DOATEC is my life. This is my family's problem."

"To think that this problem affects only your family. To try to act like it is only your responsibility." Hayate said coldly. "Your arrogance is astounding."

"Go away." Helena said over her shoulder. "I will not ask you again."

"You needn't bother. I am through listening to your excuses. Tell me everything you know about DOATEC. Now."

Helena clenched her fist and turned to Dante. "Make him go away." She marched into her office. The doors closed automatically behind her followed by a thick metal security door that slid together like the doors from Star Trek and locked together in an odd form of copulation.

"Spiffy." Dante whistled. "Wonder how much that set her back?" He turned back to Hayate. "Well, shall we?"

"I heard stories about your father." Hayate unsheathed his sword. "It is a shame that his son has not an ounce of his nobility."

"Yeah, I'm a cutthroat alright." Dante rolled his eyes. "In fact I was planning on selling your mom and sisters to a whore house when I get back." He brought out Rebellion, jabbed it into the ground, and leaned on it in a relaxed posture. "You're just cranky that I ain't on your side anymore."

For a moment, everything was frozen like a picture. Then something snapped and chaos overcame. Hayate charged and threw a kunai. Dante brought up Ivory and fired.

-----

"I have intruders. Numbers unconfirmed. Hayate confirmed. On duty guards are not responding. I have enabled level three lockdown." Helena stood in front of her office's large window with folded arms. Her phone was on speaker. "I want response teams. Lots of them. Heavy assault weapons. Mark nine UCAVs around my building. I think we have a few left from the lot we sold to the Americans. I want nothing coming in or going out without my knowledge."

There was a few more pops coming through the walls, gunfire from Dante. The walls were soundproof, but it did not block everything.

"Understood." Her security advisor replied from the other line. "May I suggest a sweeper team instead? They're quicker, more experienced. Response teams are glorified SWAT grunts."

"And DOATEC's sweepers are glorified thugs with guns. No. I have VIPs here. Their safety is as paramount as my own. I don't want one of those gun nuts shooting my sister or my help because they got carried away."

"Yes, ma'am. I have teams in route now. ETA 180 seconds. The UCAVs will take a bit longer to get properly programmed and in the air."

"Good." Helena paused. "And make sure your men use nothing bigger than APCs to get here. The police are willing to overlook a lot with us, but they'll be edgy if we have tanks rolling down the streets."

"Understood." The man's tone was lighter, apparently he caught her humor. "See you soon."

She pressed a button to terminate the call. She picked up a Bluetooth headset and hooked it on her ear.

"Are you still there?"

"Of course." Bayman said. "We just reached your floor. Be there momentarily."

"Excellent. I have more personnel on the way. Engage the ninjas on sight. They'll abandon their attack when they realize what I'm willing to throw at them."

"No offense, but your theories about the ninjas has been faulty lately."

Helena's eye twitched slightly. "Perhaps. Just get here, I need you to hold them off while I retrieve Kokoro and Miyako. Where are the Armstrongs?"

"Back at the dinning hall. Christie has already engaged Ryu."

"Ryu is here as well." Helena said to herself. "She can hold him off, but I fear the ninja may be the winner. I'll make sure to send Dante after him after you help him drive off Hayate."

"Or maybe we should let Ryu win. Get rid of the headache."

"Tempting. But Christie's more useful to me alive."

"Right. I can hear your pet dog fighting the ninja from here. I hope he's all that you say."

"And them some. Put everything you have into this fight. Make him think I'm still in here. And be careful. Who knows who else he brought with him."

"Right." Bayman said and terminated the line.

Helena pressed a button under her desk. A section of wall slide away, giving passage to a panic room that had another door to the other hallway, a remnant of her father's paranoia for his family's safety, his French family at least. She had to admit it was a rather clichéd form of escape, right with a trapdoor under her chair, but she enjoyed using it. It made her feel like she was a spy.

She walked through the opening that closed behind her.

-----

Christie stabbed her hand into the spot where Ryu's head was a nano-second ago. She twisted her body around, lashing out in a double whirlwind kick. The super ninja eluded her. He was like a smoke cloud. Everything she threw at him seemed to just pass right through.

Ryu somehow got under her defenses and struck with a punch that lifted both of them into the air where he continued the assault. He then grabbed her and broke the law of physics by shooting forward like a rocket in a continuous barrel roll with her along for the ride. The trip ended abruptly when he rammed her head first into a wall.

She quickly returned to her feet and regarded the Japanese man with a cool smile.

"Sorry, love. But it'll take more than a bump on the noggin' to keep this girl down."

"I never intended to beat you with only one move."

Something small bumped her boot. It was almost unnoticeable, but she had taught herself to notice the unnoticeable. Christie cast her eyes down. A small metal ball the size of a marble had lazily bounced off her boot heel. It was only one of over a dozen that had appeared around her.

"Oh, shit." She murmured.

The balls went off like firecrackers. A transparent gas suddenly shrouded her. She held her breath and slapped a hand over her mouth and nostrils.

A futile effort. She could already feel the effects of the gas: dizziness, distorted vision, equilibrium imbalance, and nausea. All clear symptoms of some sort of sedative, or to use a cliché, knock-out gas.

The British assassin started coughing and fell back on a wall. The cloud had vanished.

"It's a special blend." Ryu said matter-of-factly. "Know only to the Hayabusa clan. The nausea will pass, but you'll be incapacitated for quiet sometime."

"Only…incapacitated?" Christie tried to say mockingly, but her current state made it difficult to be witty. "You're getting…soft. It isn't that…I'm a woman…or not apart…of your mission…little things like that…don't sway you."

"I kill out of necessity, not enjoyment." Ryu turned to leave. "Hayate does not want any deaths tonight."

"Well…how noble."

Ryu almost rounded the corner when something struck him from behind. He snapped aside and dove into a nearby room, taking the door off its hinges when he burst through. With his body flat against the wall his hand automatically grasped his side. He felt like he had taken a punch from Bass. He did a quick peak in the hallway.

Christie, still using the wall for support, held a small handgun with a silencer. It looked like she was smiling, but the drug made it more pained like someone who was sick.

"She actually shot me." Ryu whispered. He was angrier at himself for letting himself be shot than at Christie for shooting him.

It did not look bad, though. The Kevlar in his suit stopped the bullet, but the impact bruised something bad, maybe even broken a rib or two. It did not matter. He could, and had, fix worse.

Ryu shot into the hallway with a handful of shuriken for the platinum haired woman. To her credit, for someone who was probably seeing colors run together, Christie nimbly dodged the volley of sharp metal. However one managed to scrap her hand. A 'boo-boo' Kasumi would have called it, but it achieved the desired result of Christie dropping her weapon.

Ryu calmly approached Christie and smoothly drew his sword. The assassin tried to assume a stance that was vaguely combative.

No more pulled punches. If Christie wanted a fight to the death she would get her wish.

Christie had a look that was part glare, part smirk. Ryu raised the Dragon Blade.

A pair of legs tried to do a scissor kick to his face. The modern day super ninja spun around the attack and slipped through the continued attacks of something with pastel colors and long black hair.

Ryu leaped back and held his sword defensively. The figure was still in motion for a brief moment before stopping in a martial arts stance. A stance he recognized.

"Kokoro." He said.

The Geisha-in-training smiled brilliantly. "Hi."

Christie chuckled/coughed. "Hi? A man is trying to kill me and you say hi?"

"Well I figured he can't be all bad." Kokoro said without looking back. "You ok?"

"I will be." She said. Ryu saw something like a small metal tube in her hand. She raised it over her head and jammed it into her leg with a hint of a grunt.

A syringe, to be more accurate an on-field syringe used by soldiers on the battlefield. Pre-sterilized and pre-loaded, placed in a protective metal shell to keep the glass from breaking. Just jab it into the artery, press the top, and in goes…whatever she had. Ryu encounter such devices during tussles with private militia.

Christie's almost bare top belied her bulky leather pants. A silenced pistol and a syringe. Who knew what else she had squirreled away in there.

"What you just take?" Kokoro asked. "You a junkie too?"

"Hardly." Christie muttered. Her face had almost drained in color and she was sweating profusely. "Just a little something to get back to tip top shape. I'll be right as rain in a few minutes."

"So it is a drug?"

"No. Mr. Ninja isn't the only one with home remedies. I handle poisons in my line of work too. I made myself immune to quite a few, but I made this just in case." She waggled the metal-encased syringe. "I'll save you from the tedious scientific names, but it's a compound of chemicals that'll flush my system out and do it quickly." She tossed the tube aside. "Feels like fire going through my veins, though."

"Clever." Ryu said nonplussed.

"I'm a girl that prepares for the worst." She sank to a sitting position. "Now all I have to do is wait until the room stops spinning like a bloody top."

"I take it that means I'm on my own here?" Kokoro asked.

"Like I said before, Miss Kokoro, You're a big girl." Christie said. "You can take care of yourself."

"Super."

"Kokoro." Ryu said in their native language. "I'll give you a chance to walk away."

"And abandon family?" The Japanese teen stuck out her tongue. "No way."

The two rushed each other and collided.

-----

Police lights flickered on the sides of the glassy buildings as men in uniform tried their best to hold back the curious crowd of civilians taking pictures with their cell phones and gossiping amongst themselves about why military vehicles were parked outside the DOATEC tower.

"Look at 'em. I bet there's a camera phone for every three of them." Bernard muttered and readjusted the rifle strapped to his back. "Which means if we screw up or scratch our balls it'll be on YouTube in like twenty seconds?"

"My record is in ten." Charles quipped.

Bernard lazily turned his head to give the tech head a sour look, but as per usual, Charles was gazing into the screen of his DOATEC-issued laptop.

Charles was hunkered down in the middle of the street next to a DOATEC Armored Transport. Unlike Bernard, the tech guy did not have a bulky outfit of DOATEC security uniform with body armor that made him feel twice as heavy and as uncomfortable as a sardine in a can. A wire was hooked from the laptop to an outlet on the transport.

A group of DOATEC troops entered the building in SWAT fashion single file. They were the fifth squad to go in. And with nine more squads waiting anxiously in APCs with bouncing legs and swiveling heads, Bernard had a feeling that this was more than the rich girl pressing the panic button because a bug landed on her hair.

Bernard jolted when the transport suddenly made a loud clang as the top of it began to open like a woman's purse. Three large metal husks were brought up. One was raised higher than the rest and it unfurled like a butterfly emerging from a cocoon with large sharp-edged wings. The crowd gasped and awed.

"Beautiful, ain't it?" Charles whistled while he briefly looked up from his laptop.

"If you get a stiffy from reading Modern Science." Bernard shook his head. "Those the _Whirlwinds_ I heard about?"

"Nope, these are the mark nines, _Cyclones_." Charles said with almost childlike glee. "Brand spankin' new. Stealth systems been upgraded. Totally rework battle protocols. And it's been armed with anti-personnel systems."

"Why would a flying robot need anti-personnel systems?"

"Because the mark eights got creamed at the Tri-tower."

"You talkin' about those ninja guys." Bernard said almost sarcastically. "So what, is this an anti-ninja robot?"

Charles brushed off the remark. "It's an anti-everything robot."

The first _Cyclone's_ jet thrusters whirled to life. It lifted off its holster and hung unsteadily in the air for a moment until it corrected for wind and pressure. The machine suddenly shot up like a space shot ride. Louder oohs and awes came from the crowd.

"That's one." Charles' fingers worked feverishly on the keyboard. "Already four up and about. Get these two airborne and we got the skies locked d…"

An explosion caused almost everyone to squat down instinctively. The flaming wreckage of the first _Cyclone_ struck the transport like a meteor causing the chassis to rock. The other two _Cyclones_ were demolished.

Bernard craned his neck up. He saw movement, but could not make out who or what was up there. There was something that was slipping around the night sky like bats, the other _Cyclones_ no doubt. The UCAVs started opening fire on…something. He could make out the flash of tracer rounds from the Vulcan guns.

He spotted something falling from the building, something golden. He brought up his bulky high-tech binoculars. The thing auto-zoomed on the object and brought it into focus. His breath caught in his throat. It was a woman with long blonde hair _running_ down the side of the building with…something as big as her in her hand. The _Cyclones_ swooped in, trying to nail their target. Stray rounds caused windows to explode behind her in dramatic fashion.

The woman tossed the large thing at one of the _Cyclones_. The machine moved out of the way, but somehow, the thing, now spinning, changed direction and cleaved it in two resulting in another explosion.

"That's impossible." Charles was also using his binoculars.

"What is? Her running down the fuckin' building or her killing your 'anti-everything' toy?" Bernard chuckled darkly.

The woman leapt from the buildings surface and somehow landed on one of the _Cyclones_.

"Got her." Charles laughed. "Watch this."

The _Cyclone_ shell suddenly glowed white as thousands of volts of electricity channeled through it and the woman.

"Fry, bitch."

The light was suddenly overtaken by a golden ray. Both men had to look away for a moment. The _Cyclone_ was gone and the woman was in free fall, the thing, a sword perhaps, back in her hand. The remaining two _Cyclones_ were keeping up with her. One fired a rocket that trailed her and slowly closed in. The woman turned so that she was falling backwards and started firing guns he never knew she had. The rocket detonated.

The other _Cyclone_ compensated by firing all of its twenty rockets at once. The golden light returned and surrounded the woman. Multiple beams shot out and intercepted each rocket. The resulting fireball temporarily lit up the city.

The woman was gone, most likely she jumped into one of the busted out windows that were caused by the explosion. At least that was what Bernard theorized, there was a lot of insanity happening tonight.

He checked his watch. The entire fight took less than a minute.

"There…there down…" Charles choked out as he looked up at the sky and back into his laptop. "The _Cyclones_ are all down."

Bernard could not help but smile. "So when do the mark tens come out?"

Charles looked up with anger and flaring nostrils.

The personal radio on Bernard's collar crackled to life. The commanding officer whom Bernard never met was yelling, obviously upset.

"Get HQ on the line! Those damn battery powered kites are worthless! I want _Griffons_ here! NOW!"

"_Griffons_?" Charles repeated. His anger had ebbed. "Jesus, why doesn't he just nuke the city instead? Be quicker."

"It may come to that." Bernard muttered, still looking up.

-----

Helena sneered for a moment before returning her determined look as she marched down the halls. She had heard about the UCAVs failure through her Bluetooth. Whoever or whatever did it seemed to be as strong as the ninjas or perhaps Dante. But what made her even unhappier was the commander's call for _Griffons_. She was careful to balance usefulness and subtleness. Throwing more guards with suits at the invaders would have been sending lambs in for the slaughter. But she did not want to throw the entire city into a panic by having the entire DOATEC European Armored Division entering the city. The UCAVs were powerful, but they were not as…threatening as a battle tank to the common people.

Heavy assault choppers, on the other hand, would turn a few heads.

She had to get things under control quickly before she became the DOATEC president that let Paris become a war zone.

After tapping in her personal code, the door for her little sister's room slid open.

She stepped into the lavishly decorated guest room. The television was still going, ironically showing a news report about the activity around her building.

"Kokoro?" Helena called out. "Miyako?"

Silence was her reply. She looked around and checked the bathroom. The room was empty.

"Shit." She hissed and turned on her Bluetooth. "Get me the commander. We have a possible hostage situation."

-----

"I won't say it again." Jann Lee growled in English. "Stand aside."

Tina stood in front of the elevator, blocking it. Her hands rested on her hips and she sported her 'I'm better than you' smile.

"Nah-uh" Tina shook her head. "Y'all plow through three of Helena's goons and expect lil' ol' me t' just butt out? Ain't happin'. No way, no how."

"Really? And just why is that?"

Tina switched her gaze to a woman she didn't know, a blonde woman, who was casually walking towards the two.

"Cause I said so." Tina shot back. "That's why."

"Aren't you supposed to be on the roof?" Jann Lee said to the woman.

"I was, but it got unpleasant out there."

"I'm gonna guess that explosion had something to do with it." Jann Lee said flatly.

"Like I said, unpleasant." The woman smiled. "The shit's hit the fan. If we wanna do this, we better hurry."

"Well, prepare t' be disappointed." Tina taunted. "Cause ya ain't getting' past me."

"We ain't got time for this shit." Jann Lee turned to the other woman. "Let's rush her. She can't take both of us."

"I'm rather surprised." The woman half-giggled. "I thought you were someone who got a kick out of one-on-one combat."

"This is just a distraction." Jann Lee replied. "The real deal is going on upstairs. I can feel it."

"Ditto." The woman looked up at the ceiling. "Somethin' heavy too." She stabbed the sword that was easily as big as her into the ground and held its hilt with a single hand. "Go on. I'll handle the cowgirl."

Jann Lee smiled and stole a glance at the woman. "Thanks Trish. I owe ya one."

"Yes you do." Trish locked gazes with Tina.

Jann Lee squeezed by Tina, keeping his eyes on her. He was surprised when Tina ignored him instead of following through with her threat. Still, as long as he could get to the action, he did not care. He thumbed the call button and the doors promptly split open. He stepped inside.

"Good luck." He called out just as the doors closed.

Trish stared at Tina and Tina stared at Trish. Tina would have called it a battle of wills, but it felt like the times she had stare down competitions with other girls she disliked during high school. She shook off the foolishness that tried to weaken her resolve. This was more than some childish clash. This woman was a threat to her bond with Dante. She knew it. She could feel it all the way to her soul.

There were too many 'blondies' after her man to make her feel comfortable. While it might seem rather crazy to instantly label another woman that she never saw before a threat, she felt that there was something about here. The leather clothes, the 'devil-may-care' smile, the huge-ass sword. She doubted it was all a coincidence.

"Nice outfit." Tina said.

"Thanks." Trish replied in a drawl and looked Tina up and down. "I dig your style too."

"Course, black is a rather bland, depressing color. Red is passionate, ya know? More powerful." Tina ran her hands slowly up her red leather top. "It draws th' eyes t' where ya want 'em." She stopped her hands when they went over her breasts. "It…enhances certain assets."

"Maybe." Trish said unperturbed. "But basing yourself on your…assets seems like a shallow way of thinking."

"True, true." Tina nodded. "But, let's face facts, darlin'. No man's ever looked a girl up an' down an' said 'check out th' morals on that one." She shrugged. "But ya do have a point. Men can't look past th' body most of the times."

"Oh, yeah." Trish said as if she were humoring Tina.

The stare down continued.

"Goth." Tina muttered.

"Attention whore." Trish snipped.

Tina charged.

-----

Hayate swung his sword, only to have it bashed aside by Dante's own weapon. The man in red was far stronger than he looked. In a test of might, Hayate doubted he could win. However, he had taken on beings that were physically superior and won. Brute force does not guarantee victory.

The wind ninja leapt back and charged again. Dante stabbed his sword at Hayate who exploded into a cluster of black feathers. Hayate appeared behind Dante with a flying kick to his back. The devil hunter landed on his face, but flipped back onto his feet without a hitch and turned to face his attacker.

Hayate rushed the man again, this time coming in at Dante's side. The devil hunter pulled out Ivory and fired. The bullet struck, resulting in another explosion of feathers. Hayate appeared on his other side. Dante fired again and again and again, every time resulting in a shower of bird feathers. Hayate appeared behind Dante but leapt away to avoid his sword strike. The ninja had to remain on the defensive as Dante hammered him with sword strikes. Hayate held his sword tightly, but felt the blows traveling through his arms.

He ducked the next attack and knocked out Dante's legs with a sweep kick. The cold tip of Hayate's katana plunged into Dante's chest as soon as he hit the ground.

"It is done." Hayate whispered.

The moment was ruined when the barrel of Ivory touched his temple. Hayate's face erupted into black feathers. The Mugen Tenshin Clan Leader, now several feet away from Dante, touched the side of his head. A small amount of blood stained his finger tips.

"Too close. If I hesitated a second longer…"

Dante ripped the katana out and flipped to his feet.

"Man does that get old quick." Dante patted his shirt. He held the sword up and gave it a quick look over.

"Not bad." Dante gave it a one-handed practice swing. His other hand held Ivory limply at his side. "Lemme guess, ya made this yourself?"

"No. It is a blade given only to the clan leaders of the Mugen Tenshin since its creation."

"Ah. Of course." Dante smirked. "Keep forgetting that yer swords are old. It's all the other shit ya make yourself out of sacred metals and homegrown plants and bits of string and whatever ya find in the backseats of your car."

Hayate said nothing.

"Jesus, you got any other setting besides 'glare'?"

"How can you stand besides her? How can you let her continue this damnation of humanity?"

"I've seen damnation, dude. This is nowhere close."

"You think this is a joke? That this doesn't matter? DOATEC has destroyed as many lives as it has taken. They flood the world with weapons, profit from bloodshed and suffering, and care about nothing but themselves. I have seen the horror they have caused. And she…she thinks that destroying it will erase their sins, _her_ sins. What they have done will never be forgiven or forgotten. As long as they exist, the world…"

"Does your little speech here have a cliff notes version? Cause I lost ya after bloodshed and suffering."

"Why you are indifferent to this evil is beyond me." Hayate almost growled. "But if you stand with them, then you shall also fall with them."

"I'm shaking in my boots." Dante rolled his eyes. "You know, you're starting to remind me of the Prima Donna back in there." Dante thumbed the armored door behind him.

"Don't you ever compare me to her." Hayate said through bared teeth.

"Why? Afraid it's true? Same arrogance, same monologues, same 'with me or against me' attitude. No wonder you can't stand her."

"I am nothing like her. I fight for justice. She fights for her own selfish reasons."

"Oh, spare me. I'm beginning to wonder what those sisters of yours see in you, cause you're just a crybaby."

"Believe what you want." Hayate launched a kunai.

A bullet from Ivory knocked it out of the air. Hayate unleashed two powerful kicks while he was upside down and airborne, something that caught Dante off guard. He stumbled back, but held the katana firmly. Dante lashed out with a kick of his own, but Hayate captured Dante's limb and counter with another pair of kicks to the man's face.

Hayate stepped back and grasped his arm. Dante had managed to get a clean slice in during the scuffle. Wounded by his clan's sword. How shameful.

"Hmmm. Well it cuts pretty good." Dante held up the sword again. "Still, it ain't no Yamato."

"What?"

"Nevermind."

"Ein!"

Hayate took a glance back, but a quick one. Never lose track of your opponent. Hitomi and Jann Lee ran up to Hayate's side.

"Where are the others?" Hayate asked.

"Busy. Trish says we gotta do this quick before we're up to our eyes in armed goons."

"Who's he?" Hitomi was staring at Dante.

Hayate glared at Dante again. "An enemy."

"You say that? After all we've been through?" Dante said in a dramatic tone. "Gee, I'm hurt."

Dante casually tossed the blade back. Hayate snatched if from the air and brought it up in an attack posture.

"Well, if I'm your enemy." Dante pointed Ivory and Ebony out and held them in a cool fashion. "Come and get me."


	28. the fortress's guardians

A/N: Summer break!...for you guys. For me, it's my internship. Work without pay! I'm living the life! At least the stuff I write gets published. Working at a newspaper. But I have to write boring stuff like city meetings and…well that's pretty much it. Still got time to write for myself. So, just putting that out there.

Disclaimer: DMC owned by Capcom. DOA and NG owned by Team Ninja and Tecmo.

Chapter 28. Know any good 360 games I should try? Seems like a dry spell at the moment.

**Dead or Alive 4: The Devil Factor**

**Chapter 28: The Fortress's Guardians**

_DOATEC Paris Air Pad 038_

_France_

_Wednesday-10:16 p.m._

"Ok, people, we got a situation down at the Paris DOATEC Executive Building. Terrorists have attacked and are engaging our forces with heavy weapons. We need to secure the skies, boys."

Nicolas began the pre-flight warm-up. The DOATEC TX3000 turboshaft engines' wine grew louder and the chopper blades rotated faster, making the helicopter's distinct thwacking sound. The battle-comp booted up and a pair of crosshairs flickered onto his visor. The battle-comp went through its checklist in seconds, all readings green.

Nicolas had been in the DOATEC air security force since he was drummed out of the France air force after a nasty incident in the Middle East five years ago. The matter was swept aside, as was he and four other pilots. The only place that would take a pilot with a black mark was DOATEC.

At first, he felt humiliated, taking a job as a corporation's security drone instead of being a military helicopter ace like he was born to be. He pictured his DOATEC career as sitting in an employee lounge with other washouts, watching television, and eating frozen dinners, only taking to the skies to ferry old, stuck up executives from one meeting to another.

He was quickly proven wrong as on his first day he was blowing up buildings in Eastern Europe. He was told that he was killing terrorists, but he had heard the rumors of the contrary from other DOATEC pilots who were at the game longer than he was.

Oh well, as long as the paychecks kept coming, he would invade hell itself if so ordered.

And to put the icing on the cake, he was piloting one of the deadliest machines that could fly, the _Griffon_. They were modeled after Soviet gunships: large, heavily armored, and loaded to the gills with things that were designed to turn live people dead and buildings into their basic components.

Unlike the Soviet machines that experienced troubles in the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, these machines were virtually unbeatable. Anti-Stinger defense systems, bulletproof windows, and enough firepower to level a city block in one volley.

Why things that could level buildings were needed to handle a handful of crazed gunmen was lost on Nicolas, but he was not the one calling the shots.

"We are locked and loaded, Nick." Jean said from the gunner's position in front of him. "Ready when you are."

Jean was an excellent gunner, but he was the most annoying little shit he ever came across. "My name is Nicolas."

"Whatever, Nick." Jean flipped a few switches. "Just keep this bird level and I'll do most of the work."

Nicolas gripped the control stick tighter. He was not going to lose his temper.

A request for him to open his unit's cargo bay came on his comm-station. He opened the bomb-loading doors located on the side of his chopper, near the base of the tail. Each _Griffon_ could carry bombs, usually bunker-busters for those nasty triple-layered underground hideouts. The lemon-colored automatic loading machine hoisted a thick cylinder into the doors, like a person shoveling an entire roll into their mouth. Another was on the machine's back, waiting its turn. The cylinders did not look like any of the usual ordinance he was given. In fact, it did not look like any form of ordinance at all.

"What the hell is this?"

"Special cargo." Jean replied, typing away at his screen. "Beyond that I keep getting 'classified' warnings."

Something else was coming through on the comm-link. A secure line. Nicolas almost gasped when Donovan's face appeared on his screen.

"Lieutenant Giroud." Donovan's voice crackled on the speakers.

"M…Mr. Donovan." Nicolas stuttered.

"I am tasking you and your gunner with an important assignment. You are to deliver your payload to the tower, but only when I give you the order. Until than, you are to stay out of the fighting. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!" Nicolas almost saluted, but his hands clung to the controls like his life depended on it.

"Very good. Donovan out." The screen flipped to the standard tactical readout.

"Whoa. The big guy himself." Jean whistled. "Whatever he's got us towing, I bet it'll be awesome."

"Yeah." Nicolas said breathlessly. "No doubt."

He tried to access the information of the 'special cargo'. If it was a nuclear device or something, he wanted to know so he could plan a course to get the hell out of the hot zone before it went off. But like his gunner said, classified warnings kept popping up.

There was a name for the devices, not that it helped since it was a rather generic name.

Project Beta: Units Beta-1 and Beta-2.

_DOATEC Tower/Helena's penthouse_

_France_

_Wednesday-10:23 p.m._

"Well, if I'm your enemy." Dante pointed Ivory and Ebony out and held them in a cool fashion. "Come and get me."

Hayate charged with his blade aimed at Dante's throat. Dante fired a shot, forcing Hayate to deflect the attack by slicing the projectile in two. Dante dropped Ebony and grabbed Rebellion's hilt. He batted the wind ninja away, like he was swatting away a pesky mosquito. Hayate was tossed into the wall by the force of the attack. Jann Lee came at him with a flying kick aimed for his head. He emptied his lungs into a battle yell. Dante spun out of the way on his heels, his sword across his shoulders.

"Nice scream, pal." Dante turned to watch the man land. "Does Bruce Lee know yer rippin' him off?"

Something struck Dante from behind powerful enough to throw him past Hayate and Jann Lee and into Helena's armored door, face first.

"Ow." Dante said, annoyed. He turned back to see the brown-haired chick with a raised fist.

"Don't overlook me because I'm a woman."

"Woman?" Dante chuckled and spat blood on the ground. "More like I ignored ya cause yer just a punk kid."

"A punk kid that laid you out." Hitomi shifted into a karate stance.

"More like sucker punched me." Dante wiped his mouth with his sleeve. "Well c'mon, babe, or are ya a one trick pony?"

Jann Lee stepped between them. "Ya wanna fight? I'll give ya a real fight."

"Oh, isn't this rich? First the skirt accuses me of being sexist and now bird-call man here does a macho-chauvinistic bullshit move on me." Dante shook his head. He took stock of his opponents. A guy with spiky hair and kung fu pants, a chick wearing almost all denim, a Canadian Tuxedo, and a guy prancing around in a ninja costume. "Why do I get put against the crazies?"

Hitomi shoved Jann Lee out of the way. "No way, he's mine. I can handle him."

"Think again, this fight has my name written all over it." Jann Lee pushed back, albeit gentler.

"I can't believe you." Hitomi said with fists on her hips. "You think that just because I'm a girl I can't fight him."

"No, I think you can't _beat_ him."

"And you can?" Hitomi huffed and crossed her arms. "This is the DOATEC Experimental Playground dinosaur thing all over again."

Jann Lee hissed and rubbed his eyes. "I can't believe yer bringin' that up right now."

"Well guess what? I am!" Hitomi yelled. "You beat up that poor dinosaur for no reason."

"I beat him up 'cause you were in trouble 'cause that 'poor dinosaur' was a Goddamn T-rex!" Jann Lee imitated Hitomi's high pitched voice when he said 'poor dinosaur'. "You were messin' with its baby. If I didn't come along, you woulda enjoyed a nice tour of its digestive tract!"

"There you go again. Always about women being unable to defend themselves! I don't know what she sees in you."

"Yo!" Dante called out, snapping the two out of their bickering. "Remember me? Guy with guns and sword keeping you away from Frenchy? You two gonna fight me or do I have time to take a leak or sumthin'?"

"We'll sort this shit out later." Jann Lee faced Dante and began bouncing around in his energetic fighting mojo. "Let's take down this clown first."

"Fine." Hitomi said in the trademark female fashion to let him know that it was not fine. She reassumed her karate stance.

"Glad I brought you two together for the time…" Dante trailed off than looked around the room. "Hey, where'd ninja boy go?"

His question was answered when Hayate appeared next to him in a shower of black feathers. Dante lashed out with his sword. Hayate parried the blade with his own, this time anticipating the force behind Dante's attack. His katana slid off the Devil's Arm and came at the devil hunter's face. Dante arched his head back to avoid getting his face sliced off than snapped forward for a punishing head butt. Hayate stumbled back, his hand grasping his face. Dante brought up Ivory.

His shot was ruined when he jumped back to avoid a fist. Jann Lee kept the heat on him. Dante retreated from the frenzy of punches and pulled off a shot. The Jeet Kune Do fighter blocked Dante's gun by hitting his wrist with his forearm, cutting off his aim. The bullet hit the wall harmlessly. Jann Lee pulled on Dante's arm and unleashed a frenzy of open palm strikes to his face. The attack ended with the Chinese man ramming a foot into the side of Dante's head, causing the man in red to slam into the armored door. Again, he did the annoying bird-call yell.

Dante slowly pushed himself off the wall. Jann Lee rushed in to finish his work. Dante snapped Ivory behind him and fired. Jann Lee saw the movement and twisted out of the way. He felt the hot claw of pain when the bullet grazed his chest. The bouncer/bodyguard for hire stumbled away, grasping his chest.

Dante turned back into the fray. He put Ivory away and switched Rebellion to his right hand. Hitomi ran at him than leapt into a flying kick. Her foot became enveloped in Dante's gloved hand, stopping her cold. He pushed and twisted her foot causing her to fall back in a corkscrew. Hayate appeared again, this time coming in from below. He had his sword in motion, ready to literally cut the legs out from Dante. The devil hunter planted Rebellion in front of his foot. The katana careened off the metal pillar. A black, leather boot connected with Hayate's face, resulting in the ninja doing a flip to correct his fall.

Jann Lee snapped a kick that broke Dante's hold on his sword. The Chinese man connected with two hooks and an uppercut to Dante's stomach, forcing him into the wall again. Jann Lee did not have time to gloat as Dante immediately retaliated with a hook of his own. He moved back and felt the fist brush his nose. He felt it but barely saw the strike. Dante spun around with the momentum of the right hook and backhanded Jann Lee with his left fist. Jann Lee did his own flip, one that he had no control over.

Hitomi rushed in while Jann Lee was still airborne and grabbed Dante's coat by his lapels. She hit Dante twice in his stomach and finished with a knee to Dante's face. She darted behind Dante to continue her assault, give her teammates a chance to recover and join in. Dante whipped around and thrust his fist out. The German/Japanese teen avoided the attack and watched as he put a huge dent into a metal door. Hitomi pulled him to the door, elbowed him in the back of his head, and delivered a back kick. She kept up her assault and unleashed a straight. Somehow, Dante had gotten to his feet and moved aside as she threw her fist. He was to the side of her extended arm and crossed it with an elbow to her nose followed by a full-body hook that sent her flying back.

Grasping her face she stood with almost numb legs. She fought off the feeling when Jann Lee and Hayate took flanking positions beside her.

"Jesus. It's like we're not even hurting him." Jann Lee hissed.

"It's because we're not." Hayate muttered and rearranged his grip on his blade. "We can't treat him like he's one of us, we need to go further."

"You mean use lethal moves?" Jann Lee shot a glance at the ninja.

"If we use anything less, we might as well just toss marshmallows at him." Hayate explained.

"I dunno." Jann Lee shook his head. "I love a good fight, but I'm no killer."

"It has to be done." Hitomi wiped the blood from her nose. "I'm with you, Ein."

"Congrats, ninja boy." Dante yanked Rebellion free and slugged it on his shoulder. "Ya got yerself a groupie. Bet she's a little pistol in the sack."

Hitomi fought off the blush. Dante smirked.

"By the way." Dante pointed at Hayate's feet. "Little help?"

Ebony lay in front of Hayate.

"You're joking." Hayate said bluntly.

"Hey, I gave you back your sword, man." Dante shrugged. "I scratch your back…" He trailed off.

Hayate looked at the gun again, this time longer.

"Hayate." Jann Lee spoke slowly, like his friend would not understand if he did not. "This isn't just me talkin', this is also common sense. When yer fightin' a guy, you do not give him back his gun."

A moment passed. Hayate put the tip of his sword into the gun's trigger guard and flicked his sword at Dante, like he was batting at a rock on the ground. Ebony came flying at Dante who reached out to grab it. The power behind the throw caused Dante's arm to snap across his face and obstructed his field of vision.

Hayate had already moved. He would attack from above, where Dante's vision was blocked. His sword was ready to pierce Dante's chest. Normal killing moves were not working so he decided to aim for the more vital organs. And what was more vital than a heart?

Something was wrong though. Dante's movements were too exaggerated when he caught his gun. His arm almost went around his entire head. He saw something in Dante's right hand. It was not his sword because it was falling away from him at his side. The white gun? No, the thing her had now was larger. Whatever it was it was aimed right at him.

Dante fired his shotgun at the ninja. No surprise, the man became black feathers that scattered when it was hit by the shot. He reappeared beside his friends.

"Damn, that was close." Jann Lee said. "What is he, a walking arsenal?"

Dante leveled Ebony and his shotgun at the trio. "Who wants their daily dose of lead?"

The trio took a step back, but did not flee.

"So what now?" Jann Lee whispered.

"I can try to disarm him." Hayate said in an equally hushed tone. "Or at least draw his fire."

"I would like to point out that I was all for _not_ giving this guy his gun back. For the record."

"Not…now…Jann Lee." Hitomi hissed.

"I'll go in first. You two come in…"

A gunshot cut off the Mugen Tenshin Clan leader, a shot that did not come from Dante. The bullet hit Hayate in the shoulder where Kevlar pads absorbed the damage. He and the others fell back further. Hitomi was instantly at his side. Two men stormed the hallway, guns drawn. At first, Dante thought they were some of Helena's goons, but he recognized the two from earlier when Helena chewed out Tina and her pop. The military guys.

They came in with pistols drawn. The silver haired man held a gun with a laser sight on the bottom. The man with black hair had a gun with a silencer attached. They came up next to Dante, guns still on the other three.

"I see you're still alive." The man with dark hair said in English with a thick Russian accent. "Helena was right about you."

Dante kept his guns raised. "So, I take it you're on the Frenchy's payroll too, eh, comrade?" Dante faked a Russian accent.

"In a sense." The black haired man replied. "And don't roll your 'r's so much. You sound like a Spaniard."

"I thought he was spot on." The silver haired man said with an accent of his own. Italian if Dante had to guess.

"Great. Three guys with guns." Jann Lee said.

"Don't tell me you're scared?" Hitomi smirked.

"Don't be stupid. Just makes things more interesting."

"I highly suggest you surrender." Bayman said. "But I doubt you will. So…"

Bayman fired.

-----

Breaking through a wall might seem like an impossible feat, but for Bass it was simple mathematics. He plus wall equals new hole.

Oh sure, there could be other ways to calculate it. He plus sledgehammer plus wall equals new hole. He plus his motorcycle plus wall equals new hole. And his favorite, he plus somebody else plus wall equals new hole. Why was it his favorite? Because it meant that someone else was acting as the hole maker.

Bass rammed through his fourth wall of the night with the Tai Ji Quan Genius as his tool of destruction. He slowed his paces and tossed her like a sack of feed. He girl rolled once and quickly got to her feet in a sort of martial arts style by swinging her legs around like a stripper flashing her undergarments for all to see. Teenagers these days, no modesty.

"Had 'nough, brat?" Bass did his best 'tough guy' pose with hands on hips and head held high. "Or do I gotta take off my belt?"

Lei Fang brushed off her dress. "Are you kidding? I've been on roller coaters more punishing this."

"Good." Bass limbered up. "Cause I got an entire amusemen' park full o' fun things I'm gonna lay on ya."

The Chinese woman sighed, shook her head, and smiled the way someone usually humors someone else.

And she charged him. Bass swung his arm in bear swiping at a beehive. Lei Fang ducked the attack, kneed him in the stomach, than did a strike with both hands that sent him back through the hole. She jumped after him…into his awaiting arms. Bass's hold was like a trash compactor, she tried to escape but squirming was not working. He tossed her away again.

Lei Fang unsteadily got up, but Bass yanked her by the arm to him and T-boned her with his forearm. She flipped and landed on her back. She rolled away before Bass's giant boot crushed her skull and stood. Bass rushed her with a knee aimed for her midsection. She snatched his leg and slammed him to the ground, face first.

Bass was back on his feet and his face filled with a smile. "Not bad, lil' lady."

A fist came at him. In a second, he had her over his shoulder and fell backward, using her to cushion the fall.

"Far from perfect, though." Bass stood with folded arms.

A quick leg sweep put Bass on his rear.

"Right back'atcha, tons of fun." Lei Fang smiled victoriously. "Naughty, naughty."

Bass's body became a bullet as he tackled her and rammed her through, yet another wall, in less than a second. However, something was keeping him from enjoying the moment. It took him a full second to realize that they had not hit ground yet. Another little something that was bugging him was that the last wall they broke through made a crunching sound of metal instead of the dull boom of plaster and wood. He opened his eyes and discovered, aside that he lost his sunglasses in the scuffle, that they were in free fall inside a shaft, an elevator shaft.

"Ah, damn."Bass muttered.

Lei Fang was pounding on his back with her fists while yelling, "Idiot!" as they fell.

-----

Normally, Tina was a woman of flair, passion, and style. She loved to put on a show both in and out of the ring. But in the DOA, it was all business, do or die. Well, sort of, no need to make it too drab. She had to win, but there was always room for some pizzazz.

At least that was how she liked it to be.

Tina swung at the woman in black who whist away like the wind. The woman moved with precision, inhuman precision. Whenever she came within a hairsbreadth of meeting the goth's face with her fist, she was gone. It was not a vanishing act, Tina could see the woman move, but it was a blur, a literal blur like her eyes could not keep up with the goth's movements.

And that damn smile. It was like the goth was just messing with her. It explained why she left her oversized novelty item of a sword by the elevators.

After a failed left hook, Tina backed off. The woman in black stood with a single hand on her hip.

"Tired already?" The woman said. Jann Lee called her Trish, right?

"Me? Please?" Tina stood straight. She wanted to play mind game? Tina could play mind games. "I can go all night." Time to deliver the bomb. "Jus' ask yer boyfriend."

Trish arched an eyebrow. "Boyfriend?"

"I love his red coat. Looks good in it" Tina crossed her arms. "But he also looks good without anythin' on at all."

Tina chalked up a win for her when Trish's face showed surprise. "Dante?"

"Righty-O." It was Tina's turn to smile. "Claimed 'im for myself. Yer fault, ya know, not keepin' an eye on 'im." She moved closer, slowly, like she was doing it as part of her speech. "The opera chick was tryin' t' get his hooks in 'im and the psycho-killer almost snagged 'im." Closer. Closer. "But ya can't beat a good ol' supa-star girl like me."

"Who?" Trish was genuinely confused. "Opera chick? Psycho-killer? Who are you…?"

There! An opening! Tina lunged at Trish and got her in a hold. She turned Trish upside down, put the goth's head between her thighs, and jumped. Tina brought her legs up in a sitting position and piled-drove Trish's head into the marble floor. The crack of stone was sweeter than any music she ever heard.

"Don't let yer guard down, honey." Tina said like a tune from a song. "Cause looky what happens."

Suddenly, the room seemed to sink a little. Wait, no, she became higher. Trish stood on her hands, hoisting them both into the air. She pushed off the floor like she was doing a push-up. The force shot them to the wall where Tina cracked her head on the decorative marble ceiling.

They crashed to the floor, but rolled to their feet in an instance. They squared off.

"Who let whose guard down?" Trish said with a hint of sultry on her face.

Tina's eye twitched. "Alright, ya got me that time, but th' fight's still on."

She charged and threw a straight. This time, it connected. She followed it with another straight, a surprise uppercut, and a back roundhouse kick. Trish smashed into the wall, creating a crater. Tina moved in for the kill. Trish reached out, grabbed Tina by the front of her top, and pulled her into the wall, making the crater into a full-fledged hole.

Tina tumbled and struggled to get up. She cursed and readjusted her top before something popped out.

"Did that hurt, Miss. 'super-star girl'?" Trish walked in, swishing her hips.

Tina growled and turned. They were in a room with a few simple plastic office desks with plasma screen computer monitors, a couple of plants, and a wall of windows that showed the Paris skyline.

"All show." Trish almost laughed. "No go."

Tina almost lost it until she realized they were still playing the game.

"I got more 'go' in my lil' finger than ya got in yer entire body, vamp."

"More like in yer chest." Trish leaned forward from her waist. "How much did those setcha back? Practically scream 'fake'." Her smile returned. "I think someone has some self-esteem issues."

"These are 100% all-natural!" Tina grasped the fore mentioned body parts. "I think sumone was bitten by the lil' green-eyed monster."

"Yeah. I'm jealous that I can't lug around those bowling balls you call breasts." Trish rolled her eyes. "You get a second spine put in to keep ya from snapping like a twig?"

Tina crossed her arms. "Is there a reason ya like talkin' about my chest?"

Trish shrugged. "Just makin' conversation."

Oh, yeah, she was too much like Dante for it to be a coincidence. Time to turn it up.

"Maybe he left ya fer me cause he knew ya weren't the 'take home t' met th' family' type o' girl." Tina gave a toothy smirk.

Trish still had her smile. "Maybe."

Nothing. She obviously had a thick skin, making the game a bit more difficult than she originally surmised.

"Maybe." Tina repeated.

A loud noise came from the elevator terminals in the other room. The two looked at each other, with less tension then before. Trish shrugged, turned, and left the room through the hole. Tina waited a few seconds and slowly followed after her.

The elevator terminal had five elevators, laid from end to end in a large hall whose walls were lined with thick padded benches and leather recliner-like chairs. The hall was massive, the size of a small house and the ceiling rose to stadium levels. The place was sterile white with polished marble floors that had swirling colors of black, pearl, and dull brown. One of the elevators doors, the one in the middle, was spitting out sparks from around the mirrored metal doors. Trish walked past her sword to the elevator and pressed the call button. The doors sputtered for second.

An elevator cab big enough to park a Honda in revealed itself when the doors slid open like the curtains at a movie theater. Inside the cab were two bodies entangled with one another with sparse amounts of debris surrounding them. A gaping hole in the roof of the cab, like a huge fist punched through cardboard, had live wires thrashing about. One body was a gargantuan man with the build of a grizzly bear and clad in black leather. The other body was of a petite woman in a long orange and gold dress. Trish could tell it was a woman as her fanny was high into the air with white panties and legs that hung on the elevator wall.

Groans came from the bodies as they tried to separate. The man's head popped up.

"Ok…that…hurt." He said and crawled forward.

"Daddy!" Tina squeaked and pushed past Trish. "What happened t' ya?"

"Well, afta suppa, you an' yer friends up an' disappeared on me." Bass said as his daughter pulled on his thick arm to help him up. "Than I came across this here girl an' her German-Oriental friend an' she tries t' take me on an'…"

"Asian!" The woman said as she dislodged herself from the man.

"Huh?" Bass and Tina said in unison.

"She's German-Asian. _Asian!_" Lei Fang stood and wobbled to the wall to regain her balance. "Oriental refers to things! Asian refers to people!"

"Whatever." Bass growled and stood. "I took the brunt o' th' fall t' save yer scrawny rear! Ya got no right hasslin' me!"

"You're the reason we fell in the first place!" Lei Fang's hairstyle on her left side came lose so she tore away her hair ornament to let her locks fall. "You can't think things through at all, can you?"

"Men tend to do that." Trish looked up the hole. "You guys were sure lucky that this elevator broke your fall. And a coincidence it was on this floor."

"Actually I think this thing was a few floors up at first." Bass stood and rubbed his head.

"That might explain the scraps in the shaft." Trish looked at the control panel. The plaque above it stated that the machine could carry up to a ton.

"Damn." Trish thought. "Just how far did they fall? They should be paste."

"So, what now?" Trish turned around. "We keep fighting?"

"No…no." Bass pushed on his back. A loud crack came out. "The moment's passed. An' I think I need t' si'down."

"Yeah. I think we're done for…"

Trish was cut off when Tina somehow had Dante's partner sitting on her shoulders. Tina bent backwards, bashing Trish into the wall of the elevator and than tossed her out.

"Tina!" Bass yelled. "What in th' Sam hill are ya doin'?"

"Daddy!" Tina yelled back. "Didja forget why they're here? What Helena told us? They're here t' _kill_ 'er!"

"Hey! Yeah!" Bass shot a look at Lei Fang.

"What?" She asked, still out of breath. Suddenly she caught on. "No! Stay back! Get away from me, you inbred yokels!"

Tina told her father the truth, technically. They were enemies to Helena, that part she got from the princess's rants, but she did not know if they wanted to kill her or kidnap her or whatever. Trish was still her enemy and no people falling into elevators were going to change that. Dante was hers. End of story.

Trish pushed herself up. "Well, so much for getting along." She turned around just in time to see Lei Fang tossed out the elevator like a Frisbee and crash into her.

"Alright, daddy, ya ready?" Tina limbered up.

"Right behind ya, darlin'!" Bass cracked his knuckles. "Let's show 'em th' power of th' Armstrong clan!" He let his head back and let out a cowboy call.

"Are these jokers for real?" Trish asked.

Tina and Bass ran at them, weaving back and forth to confuse their enemy as to who was going to attack whom.

"Sadly, yeah." Lei Fang answered.

The wrestling family performed a double drop-kick.

-----

"Why aren't our comm-links working?!" The commanding officer thumbed the comm-link over and over. No signal. Not even static. "There's no jamming system here. It's been over an hour since the first team went in and we've can't even talk to them!" The OC stopped playing with the comm-link. "This operation's been one fuck up after another."

Bernard shot a quick look to the commanding officer. He was expecting a man a head taller than everyone else with blaring red hair and biceps the size of cantaloupes. Instead the CO was a squat man with a graying goatee and barrel-chested. Rather disappointing.

"I got HQ on the line." Charles looked up from his laptop with a slim phone-like radio in his hand. "Still working on our system." Charles handed the OC the phone.

"This is Paris DOATEC Security Division C. Our comm-system is down. I need to know the status of my men inside the building and I need reinforcements here on the double!"

"I can't get a comm-signal from inside the building on my end, sir. Division B is gearing up as we speak. Air Squad Zeus is in the air and en-route." A voice crackled on the radio. "ETA ten min…"

"I DON'T CARE ABOUT THOSE OVERPAID FLYBOYS!" The CO roared into the radio causing feedback that hurt Bernard's ears. "I want to know what the hell happened to my men!"

There was a pause at the other end. "B…but you wanted them, sir."

The OC opened his mouth to say something. He looked away for a moment, shaking his head and muttering something, probably curse-laden. He returned to the radio.

"Yes, I did." He said in a light tone used for condescending people. "But they won't matter if we can't secure the building…" His tone suddenly changed back to its usual self. "...FROM THE INSIDE, MORON! Jesus, boy, were your parents related before they were married?"

"S…sorry, sir." The radio replied.

"I don't give a rat's ass about you being sorry! I want to know about my men and I want to know now!"

"Y…yes, sir!" A second passed as the man on the other line checked on the status of the other squads. Every DOATEC soldier's combat gear was equipped with a medical hook-up that was linked to the nearest DOATEC security center and monitored by computer jockeys. The man on the other line, a computer jockey, came back on the line.

"Squads 1 through 4 have low vital signs, sir. They're most likely unconscious. But there are some that have…crashed."

"Crashed?" You mean dead?" The OC asked without his agitation.

"Yes, sir."

The OC stood in a pose of thought, statuesque. His face held in a cross of grimace and concern.

"And squad 5?" He asked almost silently.

"Doing well. Vitals look good. Some tension and anxiety, but that's normal considering the environment they're in. Hmmm. One appears to have a heart murmur. I'll recommend that he see a cardiologist and…"

"I asked for squad 5's status. Not a physical." The CO said. "Keep me posted. And when I say 'keep me posted' I mean let me know if they're in trouble, not if one has to take a piss."

"Copy that, sir. I'll keep my eyes open. Still trying to get a sig…one moment." The sound of the computer jockey rattling away on his keyboard filled the radio. "Fuck. Man down! One of squad 5 is dow…shit, the commander's down, too! They're panicking! Vitals through the roof! Another down! Correction two others dow…" Another lapse of silence. "Shit…I don't believe. They're all down. Squad 5 is down."

-----

Ayane put a foot on the soldier's chest and wretched free her kunai from his skull. She wiped the blood and brain fluid off on the man's uniform.

"Is that all of them?" She asked, spun the kunai once, and placed it back on her body.

"Yes. He was the last." Kasumi slid her wakizashi into its scabbard. "Their communications are still disabled."

Ayane suppressed a smile. DOATEC had all the cutting edge technology in the world, borderline on science fiction sometimes. But a funny thing about their comm-links, hold down the button to talk and the others can't use the line until the button is released. So all one needs to do is use some strong packing tape laying around to hold down the button and, ta-da, the enemy's only form of intercommunication is down, their infra-structure is crippled and confused.

And DOATEC's security was most assuredly crippled. For the moment.

After that, all one needed to do next was to cram the radio somewhere inconspicuous, say a random office desk in the back rooms, and…well…all lines are currently busy for the next few hours.

"Ok, six squads is a standard size of a DOATEC security division." Ayane rattled off without pause. "And I'll bet they have one squad on crowd control duty, so we should be free of them for a while."

"Until another division shows up." Kasumi added.

"And they won't send them in one at a time for us to deal with at our leisure. Which means we don't have much time. Let's go."

-----

Kokoro was indeed a one in a million person, at least in Christie's eyes. Kokoro had the fighting skills to put her on the same level as some of the hardcore DOA fighters. What made her even more unique was her attitude: innocent, naïve, and genuinely compassionate. True, Lei Fang and Hitomi were basically in the same league, but the point was that such things were a bad mix. It was essentially giving a child a gun. Her sense of so-called morality and loving nature was going to get her killed if she ever faced someone of equal strength and more…flexible ideals, such as herself…or a certain super ninja.

Ironically, she was hoping Kokoro would survive against Ryu…for a little while at least.

The nausea and dizziness of Ryu's airborne sedative had faded, but the burning in her veins was still there which meant she was not back to her old self yet. If she tried anything at that moment she would probably fall on her ass and soil herself. She'd have to use the toilet soon anyway, when you flush your system, the stuff has to go somewhere.

Kokoro put both hands on Ryu's chest and pushed. Normally, pushing someone like Ryu would be as effective as flicking peas at a tank. Kokoro's 'push' was actually a Ba Ji Quan strike that propelled the ninja backward like a group of weightlifters yanked on a rope tied to his waist.

Ryu was engulfed in an explosive white cloud and green tree leaves shroud. He was suddenly in mid-air, flying at the geisha-in-training. He grabbed her by the shoulders, flipped over her, and with the momentum, flung her into a decorated pillar that was molded into the wall. Thin slabs of plaster and marble came off when she impacted.

Kokoro was on her feet without a hitch. Just in time to see a fist coming. Kokoro trapped the arm, pulled Ryu off-balance, and slammed her fist into his back like she was hitting a television set, planting him into the ground.

Ryu performed a spin move as he rose from the ground, lashing out with a low kick to push Kokoro back. She countered by hopping over the sweep move and performing a kick of her own when her shoes hit solid ground. She got her comeuppance when Ryu snatched her leg with his and snapped it down to knock her remaining leg out, spinning her in the air once like she was a windmill fan. Ryu brought his heel down on her back.

Christie put her weight to her back and used the wall to hold her up as she stood to test her legs. Her strength was slowly trickling back. She was still not fit to fight. Kokoro was a good fighter in her own right, but as she stated earlier, Ryu had an edge. And once he was done with the little girl, she doubted he would just forget about his earlier opponent.

She spotted her gun that she shot Ryu with earlier. Her eyes snapped to the two fighters and back to her gun. Ryu was still putting the heat on Kokoro. She inched closer to the gun. If she just jumped for the weapon, it would catch Ryu's eye and he might throw one of his sharp, pointy toys at her and she was in no condition to play dodge-the-ninja-stars.

Human eyes are attracted to quick and sudden movements. It's an inherited defense mechanism to detect predators. But move slowly and fluidly and someone can sneak past a person far more efficiently.

Ryu launched Kokoro like a rocket with a foot to her chin. He performed his little vanishing act and latched onto the girl from behind and cork-screwed down to slam her headfirst into the floor.

She slid back down to her bum with the gun between her legs. She reached for her gun with a slowness that made even her impatient. Her fingertips brushed the handle.

A kunai broke the gun apart like it was a cheap plastic squirt gun hit with a hammer.

"Did you really think I'd forget about you?" Ryu said. The fighting had taken a break as Ryu and Kokoro squared off. Kokoro leaned against the wall with a hand, breathing raggedly while Ryu stood unperturbed with crossed arms.

"Honestly? Not really, but a girl can dream." Christie forced a smile.

"I do not wish to harm any of you." Ryu turned back to Kokoro. "If you let me pass, I will bear you no ill will. But if you continue to stand against me, I will not hesitate to use lethal force."

"And I told you," Kokoro said in their native language between breaths, "That I won't let you touch my sister."

"We have no intention of harming her either." Ryu replied in Japanese. "We just want answers. Nothing more."

"Do I look stupid to you?" Kokoro replied. "You break in, loaded with blades, start fights, and expect me to believe that you just want to ask her a few questions?"

"This…" Ryu said a little louder than he wanted to. He paused to calm himself. "This was not my idea. However, I assure you that we shall not injury your sister."

"A man with a sword trying to kill someone who works for my sister tells me that he's not going to do hurt her." Kokoro looked at him like he said something incredibly stupid. "If you were me, would you believe what you just said?"

Ryu sighed. "No, I would not."

"Thought so." Kokoro got her second wind. "So, are you going to hit the road? Or am I gonna have to hit you?"

Ryu tightened his fist. He could end the fight in an instance with his sword, but he did not want to kill the girl. He was not afraid to kill. He had killed before; many, many times in his life, but only those that he had to kill, those that deserved it; evil, wicked, greedy people. Not innocent girls that tried to defend their family. That would make him no different than the people he sent to the afterlife.

Christie felt the edge slowly leaving. Not long now. Back to the fray in a minute, give or take a second. She felt the knife in her back pocket, along with half a dozen other knives here and there.

Knives Ryu would soon meet.

-----

Eliot did not like what was happening. They left the building top and headed to an alleyway far from the building. He was in a different country, but an alleyway was an alleyway regardless of culture. The only difference was that he could not read graffiti on the walls and the labels on the boxes. Ayane was not going to be happy. Technically, he was doing what she asked him to: stay with Mrs. Ayame. Too bad it meant that wherever the mother of three went, he would have to follow, regardless of what she thought.

"I need to go somewhere to meet somebody." She told him when the ninja sisters left. "Will you come with me?"

He asked her where and whom she was meeting. She did not say, instead she just started walking. And he started following. It was weird. The city streets were half empty with most people either locking up their homes or rushing to see the spectacle at the DOATEC building. Only a few people seemed to take notice of a woman in a kimono leading a boy with an age difference between the two to confuse them as mother and child…well kind of.

Eliot fought off the claustrophobia of being sandwiched deep between ten-story buildings in an alleyway that had to be at least a half mile long. He was sure he was blowing the distance out of proportion, but again, claustrophobia. He was not going to freak out, but he was very uncomfortable.

"Mrs. Ayame." Eliot said wondering if his voice was shaking or if it was the acoustics of the alley. "Where are we going?"

"We're almost there. Please be patient." She replied without looking back.

Eliot looked up. He could not see where the buildings end and the night sky began. The bland lights that overhung stained metal doors were the only forms of illumination, at least the ones that were working, too many dark spots, too many shadows. They could be jumped by thugs anywhere. And since he did not know French, talking out of a fight would be rather complicated…if talking to guys that congealed in alleys like bacteria actually worked.

Thinking about a possible fight did not make him feel any better. He looked around again. His breathing became faster. His eyes darted around.

"Shit, it's kicking in harder. Alright, think of something else." He thought. "Uh, I'm back at the temple. I'm doing my exercises. Breathe in. Hold. Breathe out. Breathe in. Hold…oh, who am I kidding? That never works."

He gasped and almost jumped back when a hand slipped into his.

"I know you're scared. Please bear with me for a while longer." She said with her motherly smile.

"I'm…" Eliot looked at her hand with his and yanked free. "I'm not afraid. I just don't like being blindly led around in a dangerous place. It is difficult enough for me to keep you safe if…"

"There won't be any trouble. We're here to meet someone then we will return…"

Something caught his eye. Movement in the shadows. He stepped around Ayame and became her shield.

"What's wrong?" She put her hands on his shoulders.

"Saw something. Over there." He nodded at the shadow. "We should go."

"No. It's alright. I know who it is." She walked around Eliot who looked at her dumbfounded.

"Come out, Gentleman. I know you're there."

Gentleman? Who the hell was that? Well, whatever was in the shadows did not come out.

"I received your message. I came here as you wanted. Despite my personal feelings." Ayame said forcefully, almost angrily. "What do you…?"

Eliot yanked Ayame away as a shuriken sliced through the air. He began to step back slowly.

Things came out from the shadows. Ninjas rose from the darkness like the dead rising from an oil graveyard. She did not recognize their clothing, so she had no idea which clan they were affiliated with. Of course ninjas do not wear emblems on their collars or write the name of their clan on their backs like biker gangs, but there were some subtle hints, the way they tucked their robes together or their color coordination. Black on dark brown meant a different clan than dark brown on black.

The glowing red eyes, however, ruled out everything she knew.

"We have to leave." Eliot said, instantly recognizing the creatures that attacked his master's temple. "Right now."

He tugged on Ayame's arm and ran off. The ninjas leaped after them like mutant grasshoppers.


	29. a house of cards

A/N: My internship is winding down and I'll be back in college soon. I have two weeks left but I've already completely checked out. I'm still doing my work it's just I sort of lost the fire, ya know. Mind is on school now. My 360 conked out AGAIN! But it was fixed in a timely manner and returned promptly so I'm not AS mad, but still, when are they gonna fix this…gotta stop before I rant further. Enjoy the new chap!

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: DMC owned by Capcom. DOA and NG owned by Team Ninja and Tecmo.

**Dead or Alive 4: The Devil Factor**

**Chapter 29: A House Of Cards**

_Two miles from DOATEC Tower_

_France_

_Wednesday-11:05 p.m._

Eliot was scared. His master told him that fear was nothing to be ashamed of. Fear was a learned reaction to let someone know when a situation required caution. Eliot could conquer the feeling with his mental discipline. If he had a plan, a strategy, if he knew how to handle the situation, than the fear was just a feeling and nothing more.

However, his current situation was devoid of any opportunity to devise a plan. He was leading a woman in a restricting garment who had no combat experience (that he could tell at least, she was a mother to ninjas after all) down unfamiliar streets whilst being chased by demon ninjas. It was hard to come up with a viable solution to his predicament.

Hell, it was hard for him to take the situation seriously when he said it to himself.

Eliot had two hopes. One was to get to a public place. His reasoning behind the public place was that the demons would not reveal themselves to the public and give up. After all, demons were considered to be myths, so they had to keep themselves out of the public eye, right.

Though with things spiraling into insanity as it was Eliot was wondering if the demons would not just slaughter everyone.

His other hope was the mother ninja idea. Perhaps Ayame was in fact an unstoppable female ninja force ten times stronger than her daughters combined.

He looked back and saw Ayame with flushed cheeks and labored breathing.

So much for that theory.

The street opening was almost upon them. Eliot wanted to pick up the pace, but he was afraid he would cause the woman to trip and fall.

A sleek black sedan suddenly screeched to a stop in front of the alleyway. The driver side smoked window slid down like a veil of oil coming down.

"Get in! Quick!" A feminine voice with a thick accent called out. The back door opened by itself.

Eliot did not even ask himself questions about the car, who was in it, and why they had such great timing. It was what he wanted, a way out.

He helped/pushed Ayame into the car and dove in. He closed the door just as three shuriken sliced into the window. Thank God for bullet proof glass. The car's lights dimmed like theater lights as soon as the door closed.

The car rocked back when its engine pulled it forward. Eliot saw a demon ninja swing at the car but only managed to cut into the back end of the car. Eliot looked out the rear window and saw demon ninjas swarm out like roaches dumped out of a box, far too many to count. They scrambled over parked cars and hung off lampposts.

For a moment, Eliot thought they had given up, until they began shooting around like bugs, leaping from building walls and cars, taking chase.

"Drive." Eliot leaned toward the driver's seat and clasped the driver's shoulder. "Fast."

It was then that Eliot took notice of who was driving. It was a woman, small and lithe. She had to pull the seat all the way up to reach the pedals and the wheel. Her brown hair hung loosely and slightly messy like she had stuck her head out in a wind tunnel. Eliot realized that she was Japanese by her clothes, a kimono. The driver's kimono was different than Ayame's. The driver's was made of silk, which Eliot guessed based on the feel of his hand.

"Are you okay?" The woman driver asked without taking her eyes off the road.

"Yeah…we're fine." Eliot looked back at Ayame who was catching her breath. "Might I ask who you are?"

"Miyako." She said.

A series of pings sounded behind Eliot. He looked back to see a dozen shuriken had sprouted from the back window interconnected by cracks. Eliot swallowed. These demon things were throwing shuriken with the force of a bullet from a gun.

"Um…" Eliot turned back to Miyako. "This car is armored, right? I mean, besides bulletproof glass?"

"I don't know." She replied plainly.

Eliot looked around the car. "Is this…your car?"

"No." Miyako said. "I borrowed it."

"From who?" Eliot shot back.

The wheels squealed when she suddenly took a hard right without slowing down. Eliot grabbed the passenger's and driver's head rest as the g-forces pulled him to the left. Ayame latched on to his chest. He was impressed that she was not screaming because he was surprised that he was not.

The sedan bounced off a parked silver BMW convertible like a pinball on a bumper. Sparks sprinkled on the windows and broke apart into smaller flares.

"Do you know how to drive?" Eliot asked frantically.

"Well…I drove a few times." Miyako reluctantly answered. "In a way."

"What do you mean? What did you drive? A car? A truck?"

"Nintendo."

Eliot blinked. "Are you serious?"

"We have a Wii at the school. The girl's love…what's it called? 'Mario…Kart'?" Miyako had a hard time pronouncing the name. "My daughter had me try it every now and then."

Eliot was beginning to second guess his decision of getting into the car. "Please tell me you're good at it."

Her answer came when she sideswiped a taxi.

Eliot looked back and realized that Miyako's kimono was loose. Her obi was gone, set aside on the passenger seat, and her dress was open, probably because, as he mentioned of Ayame, the garment was restricting. The kimono had slipped off her bare legs. They had the sheen of pantyhose. Not generic store-brand, but high quality stuff from stores that sold clothes with a price that could reach quadruple digits. Her tobi-clad feet were on the accelerator pedal, completely ignoring the brake. The kimono began to come apart at her chest allowing Eliot to see a peek of a black lace bra, a rather…sensual choice of clothing to go with a traditional form of dress. Eliot looked away, ashamed for peeking.

He heard thumping so deep that he could feel it in his chest. At first he thought it was his heart. His upbringing was somewhat conservative despite his recent transactions with the female species. He liked to think of himself as a man that could control his…hormones, but he could still feel them. Before he got too involved with his internal monologue, he realized that it was beginning to feel like the sound was coming from above. He looked up through the car's sun roof and saw what looked like whales in the sky.

He quickly realized that he was seeing helicopters fly over. Very large helicopters, headed straight toward DOATEC tower.

"I have a feeling this day isn't going to end anytime soon." Eliot sighed.

_DOATEC Tower/Helena's penthouse_

_France_

_Wednesday-11:12 p.m._

Getting shot is not a pleasant experience, but it beats getting killed. The bullet from Bayman would have been a kill shot had Hayate not worn Kevlar.

In the early stages of Hayate's training, he was introduced to the basic principals of guns. A weapon that uses an explosive powder to discharge a small amount of shaped materials, mostly lead, designed to violently pierce, pulverize, or generally kill organic material. His ancestors from back in the days of shoguns, daimyos, and samurai (_real_ samurai), never had to deal with firearms. The closest thing they faced were bows and arrows, crossbows, and cannons; to a lesser extent, shuriken, kunai and a few other gimmicks and devices.

When guns were introduced, they represented a strategic threat, but had their weaknesses. They were single shot weapons, took forever to load, and required a steady hand, which was hard to do in hectic combat. Plus they were rare back then.

Nowadays, guns were everywhere, held dozens to hundreds of rounds, could fill the air with lead in seconds, and were the weapons of choice for the entire world.

And the ninjas adapted in turn. Combat tactics and defensive equipment were created to counteract the weapons. One of the most favorite defensive forms was the bullet proof material, Kevlar, standard for the Mugen Tenshin clan field operative ninjas.

Of course, he was not wearing a bodysuit made of Kevlar. There were sections where he was vulnerable, but such is the risks a ninja must take.

Hayate pitched a smoke bomb at Bayman's feet that detonated on impact. The sandy-colored gas quickly expanded, devouring Dante, Leon, and Bayman.

"Jann Lee, you got Leon." Hayate whispered.

"Damn straight." Jann Lee drove his fist into his palm. "Round two, asshole."

"Hitomi, you're on Bayman."

Hitomi hesitated for a moment. "Got it."

No sooner did the words leave her lips and enter his ears that a large object punched out of the shroud and rammed into Hitomi like a semi truck running over a dog.

Hayate saw more movement from his peripheral vision. Leon had emerged and had Jann Lee in a hold, throwing him to the ground. Before he could help his friends he saw something shiny coming right at him. The wind ninja swung his katana up to deflect. Whatever hit him had the force of grenade going off.

After smashing into a decorative table with a pot of flowers on it, Hayate could clearly see Dante holding his large sword at him, the tip aimed at the wind ninja's chest.

"Too slow, ninja boy," Dante smiled.

As much as Hayate hated to admit it, the half-demon was right. If he had been with his fellow ninja, he could have given commands in seconds with a few hand signals. Instead he had Jann Lee and Hitomi, people without any training in special operations. He had to give out orders by telling them, taking up precious seconds.

He gave the room a quick scan. Hitomi was face down with Bayman on top of her, holding her arm in a grappling move meant to break bones. Jann Lee was in a similar predicament, on his back with Leon straddling him and raining blows upon him mercilessly. He only managed to see them for a quick moment as the cloud swallowed them.

"This party," Dante slung the sword across his shoulders, "just got crazy."

The cloud oozed its way around Dante, like he was slowly being dipped into murky water.

"Feel free to hit the road if things are a bit too wild for ya," said Dante.

In one fluid motion, Hayate shot up from the wrecked table and ran into the smoke barrier that had just consumed his red wearing adversary.

-----

The wind picked up at the top of the tower, whipping his coat around like a flag. He held his sword in front of him with its tip resting on the ground making him seem like a statue of a past warrior. Vergil observed the DOATEC tower a block away. The building was twice the size of the surrounding skyscrapers. Spotlights swept the building's shiny, glass walls. For some reason, Vergil found the sight to be similar to a single large candle on a birthday cake.

"Rather satisfying, isn't it, master?" Doku spoke from beside the first son of Sparda. "Watching these humans fight each other even though they all face the coming of their own damnation."

Vergil huffed. "Humans are fearful animals. They ignore their destruction because it brings them false comfort. They think they drive their own destinies but in reality they are all swept up in the flood."

"How true, master. Their fall shall give way to our rise."

Vergil waited a moment before he spoke again. "Have your troops captured her yet?"

"I am afraid not, master." Doku said earnestly. "We cornered her and a young boy that was with her in the alley, right where the imbecilic green demon told us she would be. But another human came with a car to help facilitate their escape. My ninjas are still in pursuit."

"You actually trusted this…Gentleman?" Vergil turned slightly.

"His information had proven accurate before with Bolverk." Said Doku. "And it seemed illogical for a demon to aide humans."

"My brother would seem to contradict your statement." Vergil said flatly. "But he's also a complete idiot." Vergil readjusted his hold on his sword. "But back to the matter at hand, I have found through personal experience that trusting others like Gentleman was…counterproductive."

Both demons look up just as a small fleet of large helicopters passed overhead.

"Hmph. Already they bring in their war machines."

"Indeed." Vergil studied the choppers for a moment before turning his attention to one that broke away from the wing tip of the flying V formation, slowed, then hovered in place.

"That one." Doku pointed to the solitary craft. "I sense something with great strength inside. A power I have sensed before."

"That one must be carrying Donovan's creations. The little girls he had floating around in his lab." Vergil said.

"Ah, yes, his 'greatest achievement'. Rather pathetic."

"Men like Donovan think power is in weapons and money." Vergil said. "What good is that type of power if you yourself are weak?"

"He is but a man, master." Doku said. "What other kind of power could he obtain?"

"Do not underestimate your enemy, Doku." Vergil turned to the dark samurai. "Even the human race can have their surprises."

"Of course, master. My apologies." Doku bowed respectfully.

"There's nothing to apologize for." Vergil looked back at the helicopters swarming around the tower like insects around a bug zapper. "I believe we've operated from the sidelines long enough. Too many people are getting involved, too many variables in the equation, as Donovan would say."

"Forgive my insolence, master, but was this not accounted for in your plan?"

"No, this was Donovan's plan." Vergil's eyes narrowed. "He thinks he can pull strings and make people dance without consequence."

"Pitiful." Doku spat.

"No matter." Vergil shifted his sword to one hand and held it by his side. "I believe it's time we thin the heard."

"Donovan will no doubt complain." Doku unsheathed his sword, Kitesu, which became engulfed in blue flames. "Like he always does."

"He'll get over it. Besides, he's far too obsessed over his little specimens as it is. He should be doing his part of the bargain and finding the temple." Vergil said. "If he hasn't discovered the temple by the time we obtain the third jewel than perhaps I should reevaluate my partnership with him."

"Maybe we'll get to see his toys in action." Doku raised a hand. The Damned Shogunate rose from the pitch black, surrounding the dark samurai and the oldest son of Sparda. "My army is prepared, my lord. We await your command."

"The French woman and Mugen Tenshin leader, they still have parts to play. Continue the pursuit of Ayame. I want her alive." Vergil said. "The others are of no consequence." Vergil thumbed Yamato, revealing an inch of cold, merciless steel from its sheath. "On my order, attack."

-----

Trish jabbed at Tina's jaw. The fem-wrestling superstar took the hit and spun back, still on her feet. Trish pushed forward with a full-blown straight. Tina captured the demonesses arm at the wrist, yanked her off balance, and intertwined her legs with Trish's arm causing both women to fall. Tina had Trish in a submission hold, pulling on the woman's arm, trying to either break bones or dislocate joints. Whatever came first.

"C'mon, honey," Tina pulled harder, "let's hear that snap."

With one huge yank, Trish's arm spurted blood and a pearl colored spike.

Tina was surprised, usually when guys have a broken bone sticking out of their skin they were screaming their heads off. Not a peep came from the black leather woman.

Suddenly Tina felt herself being flung forward and smashed into the ground, her head shattering a marble tile like a ball pin hammer smashing a fine china dish.

"Your 'wrastlin' moves didn't work the first time, cowgirl." Trish said 'wrastlin' with a stereotypical hillbillie drawl.

The blonde demoness took her forearm and made what sounded like a carton of eggs being crushed. The bone was jammed back in with another thick spray of blood that dripped from her stained skin to the ground like chunks of syrup. She moved her arm around again, the wound had closed up. She gave her arm a few shakes to dislodge some of the blood.

"What in th'…" Tina whispered. "What in blazes are ya?"

"Lil' ol' me?" Trish used her hick accent to begin with and switched back to her normal tone. "Just a girl that plays rough."

A screaming girl in a Chinese style dress came sliding along the floor like a hockey puck on ice between the two blondes. The girl smashed into the wall with the force that made Tina wince.

Trish looked back to were her comrade came from and saw a blob of black leather and dirty blond hair barreling right for her. Trish shot into the air just as Bass stampeded past, passing over him with ease.

Tina was on Trish the second she landed. She slugged Trish with a punch that she threw her weight into, smashing into the gothic woman's face, dazing her for a split second.

Bass skidded to a halt, turned around, and ran back at Trish.

Tina did a small jump to knee Trish in the stomach, grabbed the woman by her hair and pants, and threw her like a bouncer tossing out a drunkard. Trish rolled to her feet just as Bass and Tine sandwiched her into a move the Armstrong's called 'the trash compactor'.

Trish crumpled to the ground with Tina and Bass making victory poses.

"Ya migh' be some freaky Goth mutant chick," Tina flexed an arm, "but ya fall jus' like everybody el…"

Lei Fang grabbed Tina's shoulders and flipped over the super star, making her abandon her taunt. The Chi Quan practitioner delivered a fan kick to Bass's face, used the momentum to spin around to Tina, and knocked her away with a double palm strike that felt like getting cracked in the ribs with a battering ram.

Lei Fang charged Tina. Bass shook off the kick from a high-heeled foot, growled in anger, and charged back into the fray. Tina threw a punch that Lei Fang fluidly caught, flipped Tina across her back, and used her shoulders to slam Tina into Bass who stumbled, but kept moving forward until Lei Fang tripped him with a leg sweep. The father and daughter team fumbled into a wall, bashing through it.

"Serves you right." Lei Fang huffed and dusted off her front dress tail.

"Ow." Trish had propped herself up and rubbed her head. She spoke like she had gotten a paper cut. "Crazy and tough. Never a good combination."

"They're not the only ones I know." Lei Fang helped Trish up. "Upsie-daisey. That trip through the wall will only slow them down, they'll…" Lei Fang trailed off, looking at Trish's stomach.

"What?" Trish asked.

Lei Fang pointed at Trish's belt. "You have guns?"

Noir and Blanche were strapped to Trish's hips. "Yep. Made 'em myself."

"You mean we've been fighting these backwoods rednecks all the while you could've used _guns_ on them?" Lei Fang almost screamed.

"What? You want me to shot 'em?" Trish pulled Blanche out and held it loosely. "Double-tap, back of the head? Or between the eyes?"

Lei Fang caught the razor's edge of Trish's sarcasm. "I don't mean kill them. I mean like, I don't know, scare 'em. Shoot around their feet…or maybe shoot one in the arm. Make them back off."

"Shoot around their feet? What do you think this is? An A-Team episode?" Trish tightened her grip on Blanche. "And I made these things to kill demons. They'll blow limbs clear off." Trish looked up for a moment. "Well, maybe not the big guy, but I'm pretty sure the girls here can do some damage."

Lei Fang groaned.

"Besides, what are you complaining about? We're supposed to be covering the ninjas while they do their own thing, and we are."

"But I want to be up there!" Lei Fang pointed to the ceiling. "That's were the real action is!"

Trish looked at her for a moment. "That German chick was right, you two do sound alike sometimes."

"What? What do you mean? Do you mean Jann Lee? No way! Never! Impossible!" Lei Fang rambled.

Trish grinned. "Whatever."

Bass punched out a large chunk of hanging plaster when he stepped through the hole. Tina was right behind him, just as angry looking.

"Well, break's over." Trish jammed her gun back into its holster. "Back to the grind."

Trish frowned when her ears registered something. A sound that was deep, like the bass-heavy music the street punks loved to play on their five thousand dollar stereos they keep in their one thousand dollar cars. The rapid unchanging beat told her that it was not music.

"You hear that?" Trish asked.

"Hear what?" Lei Fang was more interested in the Armstrongs who stood a mere few feet away.

Trish forgot that her hearing was above normal humans. "Something's going on outside, I think they're pullin' out the big guns."

-----

"This is air squad Zeus to command. We are in position around the tower. Outward perimeter is secure. What's the situation inside?"

"Air squad Zeus, this is command, we copy on the perimeter. Things are screwy inside. All communication with our squads is FUBAR right now but it sounds like hell on earth is happening. C division got creamed and their CO's gone bat-shit crazy on us."

"Jesus. When did Paris become the new Baghdad?"

"I don't think it's gotten that bad, captain. B division will be there to relive C within the hour. In the meantime, you stand by incase…hold on, got another call, one sec."

"Copy that."

A few seconds ticked by.

"Captain, you're not gonna believe this, I got big man Donovan on the line. Patching him through."

A quick burst of radio static came from the _Griffon's_ speakers as the lines changed. Donovan's face came on his comm-link screen.

"Captain? This is Victor Donovan. I have new orders. I need you to do some radical restructuring to the tower. Level 53, section 12."

"Copy that, one redecoration coming…uh, sir? These coordinates? They're at President Douglass's office."

"I'm well aware of that, captain. Not to worry, the president is currently in another part of the tower. The enemy, however, are clustered around her office."

"Understood, sir. Preparing to fire."

Donovan signed out.

"Ready an ATS missile. I'm thinking Anvil or cruise."

The captain's gunner turned his head, though a cramped cockpit and helmet made it impossible to look him in the eye. "The boss said to destroy an office not bring down the entire goddamn building. I'm prepping a rocket pod. Four rocks should do the trick."

"Firing on our own building, doesn't feel right."

"If they're gonna pay for the damages, I don't particularly care. Acquiring target."

-----

Outside things had stagnated. The crowds were still present, all having cell phones and digital recorders out, waiting to see if they will get another peak of the sheer madness they had bore witness to earlier with the blonde woman and the flying combat robots. It had been a scant few hours since the eye-popping event happened, but it was so outrageous, that no one left, despite what the police and DOATEC security forces said over loudspeakers and megaphones.

And it appeared that their patience was paying off. A swarm of helicopters had arrived and positioned themselves around the tower, hovering like hummingbirds buzzing around flowers.

One of the helicopters began changing. The sides of the flying war machine folded open like an alien flower, sliding out missiles lined in triangle-formation racks, chain guns with belts of ammunition linking the guns to the helicopter's main body, canon barrels that a man could put his fist in, and rocket pods with dozens of holes at the ends.

Down below, the flashes of cameras flickered like a handful of firecrackers were popping off on the ground. The show was picking up again.

-----

Hayate flashed out of Dante's strike. Dante had to hand it to the guy; he knew how to play out the ninja shtick. The man was difficult to hit, every swing resulted in a brief flash of light and the ninja suddenly moved a few inches from where he was, like he could break the speed of light or something, leave after images behind.

The smoke bomb the ninja used was not making things easier, but Dante was used to getting the short stick.

Dante swung horizontally, aiming for a nice cleave across the midsection. He caught the slight differences in Hayate's stance when he did his vanishing act. Hayate had moved in before Dante could cut off his swing. The tip of Hayate's katana came at Dante's throat. The man in red curved out of the sword's path, releasing Rebellion as he moved. The wind ninja was taken aback when Dante closed his fist around his blade stopping it cold. Dante snapped the fist that trapped the katana into Hayate's face.

When the ninja landed on his back without his sword, Dante could not help but feel a sense of smugness. A grandmaster ninja warrior flat on his back with a move he usually only did to punk kids who thought they were hot shit.

Dante stood over the ninja who had the 'I'll kill you' glare he was used to. Dante grabbed Hayate's sword with his other hand. He worked the blade out of his hand. The edge of the sword had gotten into the bones. The gash closed itself up leaving only blood.

"Just can't hang on to yer sword here can ya?" Dante smirked. "Maybe you should pin it to yer sleeve."

He spotted something on his own sleeve, something the size of one of his coat's buttons. It looked like taffy wrapped in wax paper. The short fuse that was almost burnt out told him it was not candy.

"A deception and slight of hand trick. Not bad" Dante thought. "He went down too easy. Should have seen that com…"

The tiny bomb went off with an explosion that dwarfed anything a military grenade could do. The blast lifted him off his feet and spun him in the air like a wayward Frisbee. Dante bounced once on the ground before he rolled to a stop.

"Yesh." Dante rolled over and sat up. "Great, now my ears are gonna be ringing all night."

Dante held up the arm that the bomb had been stuck on. The sleeve had a good sized burn hole in the forearm of his coat. His charred-black skin began crumbling off to reveal new healthy skin. He moved his fingers around to test his dexterity. If he were human the bomb would have made his new nickname 'Stumpy'.

A figure emerged from the veil of smoke. It was the ninja, his face still stone. Hayate had retrieved his sword and held it to his side. He pointed the sword at his opponent.

"Get up," Hayate said emotionlessly. "We're not finished."

Dante flipped to his feet. "I dunno, yer awfully cranky and fighting cranky guys is boring. I get an earful of 'you did this' and 'you should die' speals from guys like you." Dante shrugged. "How 'bout a drink? Some Metamucil, perhaps? Cure that constipation of yers so you can shit out that stick up yer ass?"

"Enough of your jests. We end this. Here and now."

"Great, the vendetta type, just as fun." Said dryly.

Dante held his hand out. Hayate dropped to a squat to avoid Rebellion as it blew over his head like a lawnmower blade. The hilt slapped into Dante's grasp and in one smooth motion, slung the blade across his shoulders.

"Every party has a buzz kill, I suppose."

Hayate snapped his head to the side, his body tensed, like an animal that heard something amiss.

"What?" Dante asked before a light washed over him.

-----

The crowd from the streets gasped. Suddenly four lights streaked out from one of pods of the helicopter with tails of smoke and struck the side of the building.

-----

Kokoro's back smashed into the wall. She almost fell on her butt, barely holding herself up. Her breathing was ragged and blood trickled out her left nostril and at the corner of her mouth.

Ryu had to admit that the young woman put up quite a struggle, but she was on her last legs. He hated using techniques he usually reserved for more…expendable people. He was quite surprised that Kokoro was still walking after his Izuna-Otoshi drop. But it had taken it toll on her, her moves were getting slower, her posture far too relaxed, and her techniques sloppy.

Kokoro tried to stand on her own, but could not let got of the wall. Ryu looked to Christie who was still looking haggard and sickly. Her little cocktail must not have done its job yet.

"I am sorry that it had to come to this, but my mission must be complete." Ryu said and stood from his fighting stance.

"Piss off, you pajama wearing poof." Christie said with a smirk.

Ryu turned and walked away. Suddenly the room shook violently, almost costing Ryu his balance. At first the super ninja thought it was an earthquake, but he knew what an earthquake felt like. Judging from the vibrations the epicenter seemed to be coming from inside the building, more specifically at the upper floors and the north side.

Something that was on fire crashed through the ceiling, releasing smoke and debris causing the three fighters to dive out of the way.

-----

"Holy…What in blazes was that?!" Bass looked up at the ceiling.

The rumbling was deep, but quiet. The chandeliers swayed slightly and small amounts of loose marble fell from the ceiling.

"Sounded like an 'xplosion." Tina also had her neck craned up. "Did sumbody use a bomb or sumthin'?"

"With that French girl in charge, I wouldn't rule it out?" Bass said.

Trish scowled. "I can already tell that Dante's involved."

Lei Fang made a frustrated noise. "I knew something big was happening and we're missing out!"

"Believe me, hun. What's going on up there might not be what you want." Trish dryly commented.

-----

A plume of smoke and debris jutted out from the side of the building. Glass fell like razor sharp hail. Fortunately the DOATEC security forces had pushed the crowd back far enough to avoid such catastrophes.

Smoke billowed out from the huge chunk that looked like a giant animal took a bite of the skyscraper. A few licks of flame tried to escape the thick blackness.

The crowd began screaming with horror and amazement as soon as the first rocket hit the building. Soon yelling rushed over the crowd with people asking what was going on and why they would do something like that. While many questions were spewed out with no answers offered, a single thought bound everyone together: what the hell was going to happen next?

-----

Helena did not let go of the wall until she was sure that the building was not coming down. She patted her hair to dislodge the small bits of plaster that had been rained down when the tower shook.

"What's going on?" Helena said into her Bluetooth. "What the hell just happened?"

"Uh…" Her security advisor stammered for a moment. "It appears that one of the choppers fired on the tower."

"What?! Why?! Where?! Did those imbecilic walking sperm banks we call soldiers order a strike? Or did one of those boozed-fueled war pilot washouts mistake the trigger for a sleazy hussy's bottom?" Helena paused for a moment to collect herself when she realized her rage was making her spit while she yelled, very unladylike. "Who ordered it?"

"No official orders came from the pipeline but…there were two transmissions that didn't come from security headquarters. They were on a secure channel-code AX3."

"AX3? Those are for DOATEC committee mem…" Helena paused, became angry when it all came together. "Donovan." Helena ground her teeth. "Just give me a damage report. Where's ground zero?"

"From what I'm hearing over the battle-comm, they stuck…your office."

Helena gasped. "What? No. Damn it!" Helena switched the line. "Bayman?" Static answered her. "Bayman! Do you copy?" More static. "Bayman, report in." Static again.

Helena's breathing became shallow. Her heart felt light and weak. This could not be happening, her plans, her sacrifices, her dreams, all gone in a single moment. She should have seen it coming. Donovan was a pompous, murderous, backstabbing, slime ball, but he was no one's fool. If Christie could keep tabs on her, so could he.

Thinking about Christie suddenly sent a cold chill down her spin. Christie was the wild card of her plans and with her three aces thrown out, there was no balance anymore. Helena was not afraid of Christie per se, but she could not be looking over her shoulder forever, especially when such a delicate plan was in motion. She had no idea what the assassin would do now. She could sell-out Helena to Donovan secretly, back-stab Helena literally, and/or bail on her entirely. Dante was her counter to Christie, without Dante…

"Dante?" She whispered. "What am I going to do?"

She cringed. How pathetic calling out for her hero. She was a grown woman capable of protecting herself and making her own path in life. She did not need a man like Dante.

The pressure in her chest began to grow, tears gathered around her eyes, and her head felt strangely light like she got up to quickly. She dug into her pocket and retrieved a tiny slim metal box that fit in the palm of her hand. She popped it open, dumped a blue pill in her other hand, and slapped the hand to her mouth, tilting her head back to swallow.

She leaned against the wall taking deep breaths. In a few moments the pills began to take effect. "Better." She gasped. "Much better."

Rattling filled her ears. Her hand that held her pill box was trembling, causing the few pills inside to bounce around like she was holding a maraca.

She grasped her shaking hand with her none-shaking hand.

"Damn it." She thought. "Keep it together."

She pushed off the wall and kept going. She had to find out about Miyako and Kokoro.

_Donovan's Laboratory_

_United States_

_Wednesday-11:32 p.m._

"She wasn't there?" Donovan muttered before he screamed. "She wasn't there?!"

"I'm afraid not sir." Said Donovan's lead intelligence officer. "We've intercepted a call from the company's presidential personal communication network between the target and her security advisor. We traced her signal ten floors down at the south end of the tower, sir. Judging by the tone of her voice she's frazzled, but unharmed."

Donovan tightened his fist until his knuckles were white and brought it down on his desk. Everything had come together for this once in a lifetime shoot at Douglass's French brat. The attack on the tower, the security forces calling in attack choppers, Helena trapped in her building, everything built up for a chance to finally kill Helena. The best part was that he did not even plan for it. It just came together, a gift from above wrapped in a bow and placed in his lap.

Well he had a little help from a very unlikely source.

"Ah, professor, is there something that ails you?"

Speaking of whom.

"You." Donovan pointed a finger at the being that appeared from nothingness. "You lied to me. You said she was in her office."

"And you told your pilots that she wasn't." Gentleman causally walked past Donovan. "Lies spew out of humans like the air they breathe."

"You lied too, demon."

"Hmmm." Gentleman tipped his head up and tapped his chin, still with his ridiculous grin. "You have a point there." He laughed like a child. "Isn't my face red?"

Donovan growled. "Will you shut up, you…you…blithering jackass!"

"For an intellectual, your insults aren't very original."

"You think this is a joke?! I just tried to assassinate the president of DOATEC with a rocket attack in front of all of Paris and FAILED!" Donovan stood up, knocking back his chair. "This debacle has left the preverbal trail a mile wide leading right back to me."

"So?" Gentleman twirled his cane. "It isn't just lies you're good at, it's also making the truth evaporate. Just make your little troubles go away."

"To make a catastrophe like this disappear, I would need finances, time, and a _plan_." Donovan stressed the word. "The money I have, but time is a luxury I don't, and as for a plan I had decided to forgo my more accustomed ideas and…'wing-it', as they say, this one time." Donovan sat back down and pressed a few keys on his board. "Which I now whole-heartedly regret. She'll have no problems following that trail."

"Oh, not to worry, professor, I suspect that the French soprano will have far more pressing maters to contend with. Her delicate mind can only handle so much." Gentleman turned to face Donovan with his hands behind his back. "But you should be fearful, Donovan, just not about Ms. Douglass."

"What do you mean?" Donovan cocked an eyebrow.

Gentleman was suddenly in face. He just flicked into his eyes like picture shot. "I mean you should be wary of your current partner. If he could be called that."

Donovan leaned back and huffed in annoyance. "Vergil may be a pushy individual, but he needs me as much as I need him."

"That's where the problem lies, Donovan." Gentleman said softly. "You two had an agreement. He would find the jewels and you would find the Temple of Redemption. Right now, the first born of the great Sparda already has two jewels in his possession with the third almost within his grasp." Gentleman tightened his fists in front of him in sheer excitement. "And you've been neglecting your duties to further your own goals. Tsk, tsk, tsk." Gentleman wagged a finger.

"Neglecting my duties? Hardly." Donovan turned his computer's plasma screen to Gentleman. A collage of images flashed through the screen, mostly pictures of ancient structures and ruins as well as stills of scriptures and stone carvings from the Roman era to the Sumerian tablets. A box in the center of the screen flashed 'searching'. Donovan had whipped up a search program to dig through not only DOATEC's mainframe but through the historical databases of every major museum, college, and research institute in the world for anything related to The Temple of Redemption. "As you can see I'm handling my part of the accord with Vergil."

"With a computer?" Gentleman adjusted his sunglasses. "Don't tell me the thought of cracking open a good book and putting your nose to the print never crossed your mind. After all, you are a professor. Those degrees you have on your walls aren't just for show, right?"

"My specialty is in genetics and bio-engineering. Not history, nor geography." Donovan said. "Plus I do not have the man power to riffle through countless books, articles, and data to find something that I barely know about."

A Kasumi clone popped in besides Gentleman with a silver tray of two steaming ceramic tea cups.

"For me? Why thank you, my dear." Gentleman hooked his index finger through the tea's handle. "I'm quite parched."

The clone placed a tea cup and saucer on Donovan's desk, bowed, and departed. Donovan saw Gentleman watch the clone leave. She passed another clone who was sweeping up around a table overloaded with paperwork and electronic equipment. A third was running a dust rag on a computer terminal.

"Hmmm." Gentleman said while sipping tea. "Don't have the man power, do you?"

"Don't let the business suits and their efficient housekeeping skills delude you. Their reading, speaking, and general comprehensive skills are…substandard." Donovan turned his attention back to the computer. "Now leave me be. I have work to do."

"But, Professor Donovan, I come bearing a gift." Gentleman spoke lively. "Something I guarantee you will thoroughly enjoy. Aren't you the tiniest bit interested?"

"No." Donovan shot back.

A swirl of teal particles appeared around Gentleman's free hand that he held out like a waiter holding a tray. A large tome materialized with a hard cover. "You'll change your tune when you see this grand gift."

The demon slammed the book on the scientist's desk. The cover looked like it was made from the hide of some animal. It was tan, worn, and embossed in an odd design. The book was as thick as two New York phone books stapled together.

"This book was once a part of a collection held by a tribe of monks deep in the mountains of what you now call 'the middle east'. A very rare and very valuable piece indeed. Written by the holy men that designed the Temple of the Redemption including detailed schematics, designer notes, a through history of construction, and most importantly," Gentleman said in a hushed, "the location of the temple itself."

Donovan snapped his head up. "What?"

"Ah, I see I have your attention now."

Donovan reached for the book like a parched man grabs at a glass of water. Before his fingertips could touch the cover, he pulled back. "Wait, is this another trick? Why should I even trust you?"

Gentleman leaned back like he was struck with a face of utter shock. "Another trick? Me? You wound me, good sir. I'll admit, I might have not been so forth coming about Helena, but you see that was just a momentary lapse in judgment. This, however, is part of our pact we made. Don't you remember?"

"I remember. But your 'lapse in judgment' is not something I would write off like some adolescent practical joke. I could have killed a potential test subject that I was going to use to calibrate project Beta. Plus I make it a rule not to blindly trust anyone. Especially if that someone is a demon. A demon whose idea of a gag is by tricking me into launching a military strike!"

"Oh, calm down, professor. What you want is what I want. And this book is the most efficient way to get what we want."

Donovan glared at Gentleman.

"Or would you rather search aimlessly through thousands of years of recorded human history for something that might have only been recorded in one book." Gentleman patted the tome. "Well?"

Donovan's face scrunched together in anger. His eyes flickered from the green-clad demon to the book and back again. He snatched the book with his hand and brought it forward.

"Very good." Gentleman said. "Now remember our deal."

Donovan opened the book and froze. He turned a page. Then another.

"What is this?" Donovan turned to Gentleman. "I don't recognize this language. I…"

Gentleman was gone. In his place was a Kasumi clone that picked up Gentleman's discarded tea cup.


	30. the dragon and the devil

A/N: Been playing Halo: ODST. Good game, but not what I expected. I thought it was gonna be like Modern Warefare, but instead I play as Master Chief-lite. Still a good game. I am officially on my last semester in college and not a clue what to do after. But I'll figure something out. In the mean time, enjoy.

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: DMC owned by Capcom. DOA and NG owned by Team Ninja and Tecmo.

**Dead or Alive 4: The Devil Factor**

**Chapter 30: The Dragon and the Devil**

_DOATEC Tower_

_France_

_Thursday-12:38 p.m_

"This is command to air squad Zeus, just what the hell are you doing?"

"Uh?...Could you be more specific, command?"

"The rockets, smartass! Why the hell did you fire the rockets? Who gave you permission to use live ordinance in a civilian zone?"

"That would be Professor Donovan…sir."

"For Christ's…why the hell am I given a military command if my orders can be superseded by the fucking suits?!"

"Orders, sir?"

"Maintain the perimeter. B division has arrived and is ready to enter the tower. They'll secure the inside and see what the blazes is going on in there. In the meantime, be ready to give air support if needed, is that understood?"

"Yes, sir. Understood, sir."

"Very good. Command out."

-----

Christie crawled on the floor commando style. The sickness and pain had left her body and she was back to her full strength. She had to pee like a race horse but it was better than being knocked out or dead. She kept low due to the smoke caused by the fire. The hallway and several adjacent rooms were torn to shreds by the blast. When she looked up at where the ceiling once was, she could see a deep wound in the building going who knew how many stories up. Whatever hit had to have come from the top of the tower.

She could not see Kokoro or Ryu. The lights had gone out, leaving the flickered illumination of the fires as the cracked and popped. The sprinkler system had gone off, dousing everything with water, smothering some of the flames. The fire alarms rang with a pitch that the assassin could feel in her eyes.

While she crawled she wondered if perhaps Helena's sister and the ninja had perished. Ryu's death would have been an ironic blessing. Kokoro's death would…well she did not care to be honest. The girl was an inconvenience anyway.

Christie's destination was the stairs. With the Ryu fight cancelled due to flaming destruction, the snowy-haired Britain decided that it was best to take her leave and regroup with Bayman and Leon, see what the bloody hell was going on.

A cough caught her ears, a light cough, feminine. It had to be Kokoro. The cough was weak but close. The thought of ignoring the Japanese girl was Christie's first impulse. However, as she considered it, if Kokoro was alive, Ryu was most assuredly still on the prowl. The super ninja killed without hesitation, but he spared innocents, a flaw she could easily exploit.

The snowy-haired woman pushed herself up to peak around. She dared not speak otherwise she might give away her position. She spotted Kokoro slumped on a wall a good ten feet from her.

Christie crawled over slowly, sweeping the area for her enemy.

Kokoro's clothes were ripped, her face had splotches of soot, and her body had scrapes and cuts. Christie checked the Japanese teen's vitals. Strong pulse and her breathing sounded fine. A minimal amount of blood and the wounds were superficial to minor at best. She was just knocked out.

"C'mon, honey." Christie placed Kokoro's arm around her shoulder. "You're my ticket out of here."

She stood, supporting Kokoro's weight. The teen's legs were shaky, but she seemed to be able to offer some support for herself.

"Ch…Chris…tie." Kokoro said weakly in English. "Wha…"

"Shhhh. It's alright, honey." Christie whispered in her ear. "I got you. Let's get you back to your big sister."

The British woman took a single step. A kunai punctured the floor in front of her.

Ryu stepped out of the shadows. Christie cursed. The light of the flames showed the damage of the ninja's suit. A gash ran from Ryu's right shoulder to his abdomen. Unfortunately the cut did not penetrate the suit. On his right bicep, a cut was smudged with blood and traveled down to his gauntlet that absorbed the liquid. The metal decorative plate on his forehead had a chunk missing from the left side. A tuft of chocolate brown hair poked out of his hood. But the thing that grabbed Christie's attention was his sword that he held in his hand. It looked like he had moved beyond hand-to-hand combat.

"You," Ryu pointed his sword, "are not leaving now."

"I'm afraid the dates over, darling." Christie had to clench her muscles. She did not know what was worse, facing an obviously pissed off Ryu or feeling like she would most likely wet herself in front of him. "And its past this girl's bedtime. She gets fussy if she doesn't get her beauty sleep, so we'll just take our leave."

Ryu approached. "She is free to leave. But you are too dangerous to let go."

Christie sighed. "You do realize that I had nothing to do with whatever fell on us?"

"Release her."

"I'm afraid I can't." Christie moved Kokoro in front of her. "I'm her nanny for today."

"Chris…tie." Kokoro muttered. Her eyes fluttered as she swung between awake and asleep. "I don'…feel so…so good."

"I know. Hush now." Christie's lips touched Kokoro's ear. "We'll be out of here soon. Just a little problem I have to deal with. No worries."

"Somehow, I'm not surprised." Ryu said coldly. "You always were the coward."

"Sticks and stones may break my bones," Christie sang, "but you're just a pussy."

Ryu tightened his hold on his sword but stood his ground. Christie began creeping by him, making sure that Kokoro was between them. The icy glare of the modern day super ninja barely even registered in Christie's mind. Let him glare all he wished, she had the upper hand. Of course she kept close tabs on Ryu's movements. One overlooked detail could result in an upper hand lost.

Ryu kept watching. His body did not move but his head did. She cautiously reached for the trench knife hidden in one of her back pockets, a KA-BAR. Unlike her switchblades, KA-BAR's were designed specifically for fighting.

Ryu must have noticed her movement and snapped his sword to attention.

Suddenly, something emerged from the pile of broken floor, wall, and ceiling pieces. A man emerged, shoving scraps of plaster and marble out of the way.

"Son of a bitch!" The man spat in English. "Story of my life, shit starts gettin' good than some motherfucker blows the place to hell!" He kicked away some of the pile so he could step out.

Christie's smile almost split her face. Reinforcements had arrived.

"Oh, Dante, sweetie." Christie purred. "Could you give me a hand? Lil' Ryu here is being quiet rude."

The demon hunter stepped into the light. His coat's left arm was shredded and his clothes were just as bad as Ryu's little ninja getup. Dante, on the other hand, had not a mark on him. Well, some streaks of soot and blood, but she saw no wounds of any sort. Not even a bruise.

"Hey, babe, I'm a little busy at the moment…" Dante trailed off when he saw Ryu. "Oh, great, another ninja. What? Are you guys having a convention around here or somethin'?"

"Dante." Ryu kept his sword on Christie. "What are you doing here?"

"Now I remember, your friends with the one in white, right?" Dante dusted his arms. "I'm working for Helena, who Christie is also working for; I found the jailbait ninja twin's mother; yes, she's fine; no, I haven't gotten around to sendin' her back and gettin' my pay, which I doubt will ever come; and no, I ain't gonna walk away." Dante said in a string that almost sounded like an auctioneer. "There, yer up to speed. Now I don't have to play the boring twenty questions game with you too."

"I see." Was Ryu's only reply.

Christie knew what was going to happen next. The only question was when. Her current beau and the ninja were in a stare off. Dante casually ripped his sword from another pile of rubble and walked closer. Ryu turned fully to the approaching demon.

Good. Ryu recognized Dante as the more immediate threat, which meant an easier time to slip away. She did not move just yet, least she redraw attention to herself. Let the boys rough house for a bit while mommy takes the little sister to bed.

The tension barely began to build when it happened. The fight was a rapid exchange of blurs. No hesitation like in the movies, just attack and counterattack.

Ryu made the first move. He grabbed something on his arm and threw it. The thing unfolded into some sort of large shuriken. Dante, still walking forward in a brisk manner, batted away the weapon with his sword. He used only one hand for the sword as another brought up his silver pistol. He fired a shot. The bullet ripped through Ryu's head. Christie suddenly saw another Ryu flying at Dante with his sword at the ready. The bullet-through-the-head Ryu must have been one of his bloody after-image tricks.

Dante brought up his blade. The katana and the straight sword sang as they collided. Ryu ricocheted off like an empty beer can off a windshield. The ninja flew back and landed on the wall with his feet. He pushed off the wall and became a cyclone of spinning blades. Dante swung his sword upwards. The blades locked together as Ryu sailed over the red wearing devil hunter and landed behind him. Dante twisted around, the swords still interlocked. Ryu ripped his sword free and brought it around again, aiming for Dante's chest. Instead, the sword clanged off Dante's sword again. The force of the blow made Ryu step back.

Dante's boot caught Ryu in the chest. The flying ninja rammed into a wall, breaking a hole as he made a radical entry into another room. Dante jumped in after him.

Christie saw her chance and ran with Kokoro in tow. She passed the elevators. They were no doubt shut down by the emergency fire systems. She kicked open the door to the stairs and ran, hoping her bladder would hold for a bit longer.

-----

The room was dark when Dante jumped in with no sight of the ninja. Dante slowed his pace and slung his sword on his shoulder.

"Hello?" Dante looked around. "Pest control here. Someone see a ninja? 'Bout yay high." Dante put a flat hand next to him about shoulder height. "Wears alotta black. Just got his ass handed to him?"

His eyes picked up something he could barely see. He brought up Ivory and fired, knocking a kunai out of the air.

"Oh, c'mon ninja-dude, that trick's been done to-"

More kunais came, too many to shot and too fast for him to react. He barely felt them when they cut into his clothes and skin. Half a dozen ninja-kife things were pinned to his torso.

"Oh, ow, ya got me." Dante said flatly. "If all it took was little sharp things to kill me, I'd been dead long-"

Dante trailed off when he noticed the sparks and smoke coming from the small white parcels tied to the blades.

"Ah, shi-"

The kunais went off like firecrackers packed with C4, throwing Dante to the ground.

"Ok, I'm getting' sick of you ninjas and your little explody toys." Dante groaned and rolled on his back.

Ryu appeared over him and plunged his sword into Dante's stomach. The demon hunter could feel the mind shattering sting of the blade scrapping his spine. The pain, however, did not stop him from lashing out with a right hook that made the ninja stumble back. Unlike the ninja in white, this one kept his sword.

Dante sprang up and followed his attack with a left straight. He finished the combo with a rising kick. Ryu flew back like a tossed rag doll and smashed through the glass windows. Just as gravity took hold of Ryu, a chain suddenly sprouted from the ninja like a cobra and wrapped itself around Dante's arm.

The sudden weight jerked Dante forward, but he quickly corrected himself. He flexed his arm and leaned back.

"Sorry, buddy." Dante pulled out Ivory. "No free rides."

The bullet broke a link and the chain still connected to Ryu snaked out the window. Dante ripped off the chain attached to him and tossed it aside. He marched to the busted window, stopped at the edge, and peaked out. Thousands of yellow and white lights globed together on the streets below along with flashing blues and reds. Three spotlights dazedly scanned the tower's glass surface. The sound of a helicopter was the only thing louder than the howling winds at, what Dante estimated to be, nearly forty stories up.

Dante looked up and saw large helicopters orbiting the tower like vultures circling a carcass. One helicopter suddenly rose to Dante's altitude and flashed its light on him. Dante instinctively blocked the light to his face with his hand. Before the light blinded him, Dante saw the DOATEC corporate logo painted on the chopper's side.

"Hey," Dante yelled and waved with his other hand, "what's goin' on?"

The helicopter continued to assault Dante's eyes with its light.

"Nice ride." Dante smirked. "What's the mileage like?"

Something jumped from the chopper's tail, something dark and coming right at him.

Ryu sped past Dante like a sparrow, slicing into the devil hunter with his blade, and came to a stop halfway down the destroyed hallway. Dante had to admit, hiding on a helicopter was pretty sneaky. The pilots must not have realized that a killer ninja had hitched a ride.

Dante took a shaky step back. Blood had splattered behind him during Ryu's aerial attack. The katana suddenly erupted from Dante's chest. Ryu ripped the blade out and slashed twice at Dante's back, causing him to stumble toward the busted out window.

By the time the third strike came, Dante had already ducked under the swing and swept his leg to take out the ninja's footing. Ryu began falling on his side, but his body never hit the ground as Dante had used the rotation to hop to his feet and punted Ryu away.

Ryu tumbled in the air and slammed into a wall, shattering olive colored plaster. Hardly knocked for a loop, the super ninja was back in a defensive stance just as Dante closed the gap between them and struck. Rebellion carved deep gashes in the wall behind Ryu, but could not touch the warrior of the shadows. Ryu's katana and Dante's sword sometimes collided during the exchange, sending out a fireworks display of sparks as sacred steel met unholy metal.

The whirlwind of death delivering blows came to an end when Dante used one of his many specialty moves, a volley of rapid fire stabs he had dubbed the Million Stab. Ryu, unable to counter every life-ending pierce, rolled away.

Dante turned to face Ryu. The ninja was in an odd pose, he held something glowing in his hand. Dante realized that the glowing object was a ball of fire and weird Japanese letters or words or whatever they were swirled about the ninja in the same color and intensity as the fiery orb. Ryu thrust his hands forward, unleashing the attack.

During his time as a demon hunter, Dante had seen his fair share of fire attacks. Most of the time, the fire attacks had the same intensity as a three gallon gas can. Other times, they were essentially demon versions of military bombs capable of leveling city blocks. When Ryu's attack struck, Dante estimated it as something like an anti-tank mortar round. It was a long story on how he came to know how one of those felt like.

Dante had brought Rebellion up as a shield, but the blast knocked him back like a wayward wrecking ball.

Ryu darted after him, bounding after the half-demon in seemingly impossible long leaps. Dante met the ninja's approach with a demonically charged Rebellion. Dark crimson energy crackled and engulfed the large slab of metal. Dante held the sword like a bat and swung when Ryu was in range. The ninja tried to block the attack with his sword.

A concussive force exploded from the collision point of the two blades, like a sonic boom from a low flying jet. Ryu was a mere blur of black, racing backwards like a bullet from a gun.

"And it's outta the park." Dante grinned.

-----

"This is command to B division, do you copy?"

"This is Commander Borrel of B division, command, we copy."

"Commander, are your men in position?"

"Affirmative, command, I have my entire division ready to enter and subdue. The C division commander's giving me a lot of grief, but he's keeping his men back. I figure that I let him keep the outside secure while my boys roll in, smash heads, and save the day."

"There are VIPs inside that don't need their heads smashed, commander. Did you get the list?"

"Affirmative, command. Three names, Helena, Kokoro, and Miyako. Photographs of the three have been passed out to my men."

"Very good, commander. All other staff has been evacuated and accounted for. You will now commence operation. Authorization code: Alpha-Tango-Bravo-1-1-7. You are authorized to use lethal force to neutralize the enemy, I repeat, lethal force has been approved."

"A big affirmative on that, command. Commencing operation."

-----

Trish turned her head when the sound of boots on marble caught her ears, a lot of boots.

"Everyone, run for the stairs, now!" Trish barked.

"What?!" Tina fumed. "Who do ya think ya are giv' out orders like that? We're _enemies_, ya skanky biker bitch!"

"Tina!" Bass scolded. "Watch yer language, lil' missy. That ain't how a lady oughta talk!"

"Trish," Lei-Fang asked. "What's wrong?"

Trish suddenly fell to her knees; a flower vase behind her shattered. Tina and Lei-Fang shrieked. The sound of gunfire filled the room to almost deafening levels. Bass grabbed Tina and threw the both of them behind a decorative pillar partly molded into the wall. Trish threw Lei-Fang at the Armstrongs and drew her own guns firing at men in combat gear that had taken defensive positions along the walls and behind furniture.

The pillar began to chip away from the bullets and furniture in the lobby was shredded. Trish picked off three soldiers, but more were pouring in, pulling out the wounded and taking their place. Trish rolled into another pillar, pulling off a few more shots.

"Bass!" Trish called out and pointed to a maintenance door next to the elevators. "Grab the girls and get the hell outta here! Get to Helena!"

Bass nodded, slung Tina over his shoulder, scooped up Lei-Fang under his arm, and ran. Trish popped out and gave the retreating Texan some covering fire.

When Bass was almost at the door, two soldiers kicked it down and swung their weapons at him. The wrestling superstar did not know what to do. Fighting meant getting shot, stopping meant getting shot, and running away meant getting shot. Nothing came to him that didn't end with his daughter, the Chinese girl, and him dying on the cold floor.

One of the men was shot through head, the bullet breaking through the helmet with ease. Bass snapped a look at Trish who was holding a smoking pistol with a nervous smirk. A chunk of plaster from the pillar exploded by her face and she whipped her guns around to return fire.

The other man, also shocked at his teammate's death, turned to Bass. Bass brought up his large motorcycle boot and planted it in the man's face, shattering the ballistic facemask.

"Outta th' way, pipsqeak!" Bass crowed as he bolted into the door.

"Good, they're gone." Trish thumbed the ejection switch on her pistols, dropping the spent clips and reloaded in mere seconds. "Now I can really cut lose."

Trish, cloaked in a golden veil of crackling power, jumped out from her hiding place and unleashed a barrage of demonically charged bullets.

-----

Bass pounded up the stairs. Decades of hard-core wrestling and Dead or Alive fighting had kept the man in impeccable shape. Some often confused his bulky physique with fat from old age but, according to his doctors, only 3% of his body weight was fat. What Bass had was over three hundred pounds of pure muscle at his command and all of it was used to get the two girls and him out of harms way. Neither fatigue nor pain even trickled into his mind.

"Daddy." Tina called. "Stop."

"Not now." Bass snapped.

"Daddy!" Tina screamed and kicked her legs. "Stop carryin' me like a piece o' luggage!"

"We hafta keep movin'." Bass growled. "I ain't gonna have my lil' girl git shot t' pieces here, no sir! When we'd get t' th' pearly gates, yer momma would sen' me straight t' hell, God rest her soul."

"Hey!" Lei-Fang moaned from under Bass's arm. "Lemme down."

"No way!" Bass puffed. "Not till we get t' th' French lady."

"Daddy, stop, they ain't followin' us." Tina said. "And I think Lei-Fang's gonna be sick."

Bass slowed, finally feeling the adrenaline high leave. He let the two girls escape his grasp. Tina helped Lei-Fang to a corner, patting and rubbing her back. The Chinese girl spat, coughed, and gagged, but did not vomit.

"They shot at us." Tina trembled slightly. "Jesus, Daddy, they shot at us."

Bass had a pained smile. "Ain't like in yer big action films, huh?" He regretted saying it. Maybe it was just the black humor setting in.

Tina glared and turned back to Lei-Fang. "Hey, you gonna be ok?"

"I'm…" Lei-Fang coughed. "I don't know."

Bass caught his breath. These girls had no doubt taken on martial artists, thugs with knives, riff raff on the street, but he doubted they ever faced a trained soldier with a gun; a major difference. They were tough girls though. He knew that they would not let their fears get the better of them again.

"I don't get it." Lei-Fang stood and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "I can get why they'd shot at me and Trish, but why did they try to kill you two? Aren't you on the same side?"

"I'm afraid we're in th' dark on this one too, suger." Tina said.

"I have a feelin' that them gunmen ain't on our side at all." Bass murmured. "Didn't ya listen t' Helena earlier? She's th' president o' DOATEC in name only. There're all sort's o' backstabbers wantin' a bigger piece o' th' pie and they'll tear through their own mamas t' git it, I'll tell you what. Greedy sumbitches."

Tina looked back at her father, but did not say anything. She patted Lei-Fang on the back. "Feelin' better. darlin'?"

The sounds of gunfire came from bellow. It was muffled and almost soft, like someone tipped over a crate full of bowling balls on carpet.

"Yeah…better." Lei-Fang said in a not-too-confident tone.

"Good." Tina said somberly. "Ready, daddy?"

"Yep." Bass exhaled. "Let's keep movin'."

Bass knew that there was no easy way out of this. The girls knew too. But, what else could they do? Bass lead the way with the girls' right behind him.

-----

The cold splash, a welcomed feeling, brought back her senses to a hundred percent. The lights, the sounds, her touch, everything was brighter, crisper, focused. She smirked at her reflection in the mirror. A knockout gas bomb, how pedestrian; Hell would freeze over before such a tick would be her undoing.

Christie yanked a white, sterile towel from the rack and rung her hands dry. She had found an executive washroom a floor up from the battle between Dante and Ryu. With a pressing bladder, she was almost willing to find a dark corner, but thankfully she decided to search a bit longer and her reward came in the form of a restroom designed in a Rome-era Greek bathhouse. A water fountain with toga-wearing women eternally pouring water from the giant wine jugs they carried on their shoulders bubbled near the back of the restroom in a small shallow pool.

The restroom was a disgusting display of power, the DOATEC high echelons were pigs happily rolling in their own filth. But, as much as she hated to admit it, it made her feel like royalty using the lou in such a highty-tighty facility.

She tossed the towel aside, grabbed a clean one, and soaked it in warm water. Kokoro sat against the wall, still dazed and confused. Christie knelt beside her and dabbed at the splotches on the girl's face. She had to make her employer's sister look somewhat presentable; otherwise Helena might throw one of her temper tantrums.

Kokoro moaned, her eyes fluttered, and turned her head away.

"Now, now, dearie." Christie cooed. "Be a good girl and hold still while Auntie Christie gets you cleaned up."

Kokoro groaned, still unable to open her eyes. "Where…where are…" She winced. "My head…it hurts." She spoke in Japanese.

"Believe me sweetie, after what you just went through; having only a headache would be a blessing." Christie gentle turned Kokoro's face to her. "By the way, where's your mother?"

"At…at our…room." Kokoro shuttered. "I…I left…she didn't…didn't…want me to leave…but…" She shook her head. "Mother…I have to go back…have to see…"

"Easy there." Christie wiped away the last of the grit. "We'll get you to your mommy soon enough, but you have to rest now."

Kokoro groaned again. The dampness on her brow made a few strands of her hair stick to her face. Christie gently pushed the hair aside.

The Japanese daughter of the late Douglass was quiet lovely, just like his French offspring. Lean and fit, healthy dark hair, youthful skin, and of course, a good sized bust. Christie's hand traveled down, her fingers tracing the girl's collarbone through the Chinese-style dress, the same one she wore during the fourth tournament. The little puff ball things attached to her sleeves were cute, but useless.

Not bad, but maybe another time. She already had her hands full with Dante and adding another to the mix at this point would not bode well. Like Eliot, Kokoro would prove troublesome and very difficult to train. Plus, deducing from Kokoro's lifestyle, she did not have any 'experience'. She did not mind fulfilling the role of teacher, a part she had performed a few times before, but, as she stated earlier, she had a prior commitment with a certain red wearing demon.

Besides, she was on the clock; business before pleasure as they say.

"Christie…what are you…doing?" Kokoro mumbled with a tinge of anger.

The British assassin blinked and realized that her hand was currently cupping a very intimate part of Kokoro's body.

"Oh. Sorry, love. Just checking your heartbeat." Christie laid the syrupy voice on thick.

Her bottom suddenly vibrated and played an electrical tune. She retrieved her cell phone and saw her caller idea flash 'Ice Bitch'.

"Yes, Lady Helena?" Christie said in a fluttery tone. "How may I serve you?"

"Cut the act, Christie." Helena coldly responded. "Where are you? I can't contact Bayman, is he with you?"

"Negative on that. I'm on the 84th floor, executive washroom." Christie replied in her strictly business voice. "I had a run in with Ryu Hayabusa and split from the Bayman and Leon."

"And? What happened? Is he neutralized?"

"Not quiet. Our boy in red is currently showing the ninja the time of his life."

"Dante? How is…he's alive?"

"And kicking. Made quiet the dynamic entrance." Christie ran her hand through Kokoro's hair. "By the way, your little sister made a guest appearance during my show with Ryu."

There was a brief silence at Helena's end. "Kokoro? She was there? Where is she? Is she ok?" Christie smiled as Helena began to lose her composure. "I want to speak with her. I swear, if you hurt her…"

"Relax, Lady Helena, your sister is fine, just a little lightheaded." Christie switched from sassy to serious. "But she said she left her mother in their room, you might want to check up on her."

"What? No, she isn't there." Helena said, her voice thick with worry. "Damn it, where is she?"

"Might I suggest we regroup? I feel we've become too spread out at the moment."

"Not yet. Recent events have made it abundantly clear that the ninjas are not are only concern presently."

"Lemme guess, Donovan?"

"You know of anyone else?" Helena paused for a moment. "I'm getting another call, I'll contact you later. Protect my sister with your life, is that understood?"

"Of course." Christie said in her fluttery tone. "You know you can trust me."

-----

"Hello?" Helena said after tapping the phone on her belt.

"It's me," replied the deep, somber, serious, and slightly ragged voice.

"Bayman?" Helena caught her breath. "Where are you? Are you ok?"

"Near the site of the explosion. Exact coordinates unknown." Bayman sounded strangely calm besides his apparent labored breathing. "Some minor injuries on my part, nothing serious. The same for Leon. When we heard the chopper outside, we left the area. Since we didn't hear from you about it, we decided better safe than sorry."

"I…see." Helena wondered if Bayman was clever or paranoid. Perhaps both. "The helicopter is not affiliated with me."

"Donovan." Bayman said. "I suspected he might make a move soon." Helena heard Bayman growl. "I'm afraid Leon and I will be unavailable. Our current location is too close to the site and we'll be exposed to the choppers if we head out, plus we have prisoners."

Helena perked at what Bayman said. "Prisoners? You have Hayate?"

"No. We lost track of him after the explosion. But we do have Jann Lee and Hitomi. They'll live, but there not going anywhere for a while."

Helena heard scuffling in the background and someone yelling in English with a thick Italian accent. "Hold still, you stubborn bull ox. You'll reopen your wounds."

Another voice came, this one with a Chinese accent. "Fuck you, old man. You and that fuckin' Russian were tryin' to kill us, why the hell should we trust you?"

"Cause I'm the only one that's keeping your goddamn guts from spilling out, ya dunce."

"Jann Lee certainly sounds grateful." Helena muttered.

"He's just upset that our battle was cancelled. Fortunately he's in no shape to put up a real fight. The German girl is out cold. We've also lost contact with Dante. I don't think he made it."

Helena smiled. "Oh, I have a feeling he pulled through. Stay where you are, I'll have the situation resolved soon."

-----

"Unbelievable." Doku whispered. "They attack themselves?"

A dark cloud billowed from the tower. Helicopters buzzed around the tower's gaping hole like flies around a festering wound.

"Humanity is always self-destructive." Vergil said. "But this reeks of Donovan."

"Are you sure, master? This seems far too reckless for a coward like him."

"Perhaps, but if it helps him achieve his goals, then I wouldn't put it past him." Vergil frowned. "But no matter. There is something else going on right now."

"Yes." Doku clenched and unclenched his large hand. "I sense the energy inside. The darkness of a strong demon and a ninjitsu I have felt before. A battle rages on inside. Between your brother and the damned ninja of the dragon lineage."

"Yes, Ryu. You've told me much about him." Vergil said lethargically. "I have no interest in ninjas, though I suspect you will wish to take on this so-called super ninja."

"If you will allow me, my master." Doku bowed deeply at the waist. "He and I have unfinished business."

"Do what you want, just ensure that your minions retrieve the jewel."

"But of course." Doku straightened back up.

"Good." Vergil held out Yamato. "Then let us begin."

-----

Hayate felt like his teeth were going to grind each other into dust. Resetting a broken limb always hurt like hell.

Blaming his injury on bad luck seemed rather juvenile, but he could not come up with a better explanation. Hayate sensed the attack moments before it occurred, just as the Russian and Italian soldiers did. Then something, he did not see what, had hit him above the elbow, breaking the Humerus. After escaping ground zero, he found a suitable place to recuperate, an employee's office. A picture of his family stood on the desk, a dark-haired man with a square jaw with his hand on his wife and son's shoulders. The wife, a short haired woman with crow's feet, had some extra weight but her joyful smile was genuine. The boy, small and wiry, smiled widely, showing a large gap in his teeth.

The picture mildly upset the wind ninja. Despite his stance that DOATEC represented the greatest evil in the world, it did not mean that the entire company was completely staffed with monsters. He knew that decent men worked for the corporation and sometimes circumstances made it difficult to avoid collateral damage. He had told himself that what he and his clan had done needed to be done. Still, the little reminders of humanity that popped up, such as the photo, made swallowing the bitter pill even harsher.

Hayate retrieved a capsule from his belt, popped it into his mouth, and swallowed it dry. The pill was a pain reliever with herbs from the village and put into pill form by a machine. A ninja did not always have to rely on old remedies and practices. He stood, using the desk for support.

He had lost track of Jann Lee and Hitomi, something that troubled him greatly. Things had literally blown up in his face, but as he told everyone before, the mission had to go on. He would find Helena first, than regroup.

Hitomi's smiling face flashed through his mind. He quickly shoved it away. The mission must come first.

The German girl came into his mind again. This time she was in bed, naked, clinging to him like her life depended on it, biting her lip to stifle the scream as she drew closer to the moment. She felt hot, too hot, like she was going to burst. When the moment arrived, her body locked itself with his and trembled. She groaned deeply, unable to suppress her voice.

When it was over, her head plopped into her pillow. Her disheveled hair became a transparent curtain over her face as she labored for breath. She looked at him with dreamy eyes and said something to him in German in a tone barely above a whisper.

The bitter pill had just caught in his throat.

"I love you...Ein."

"Shit." Hayate slammed his fist into the desk. He willed the image away.

"She's ok." He told himself even though he knew that he did not know for sure. "She's strong, she survived."

Hayate leaned on the desk with both hands, collecting himself. Sentimentality had no bearing on the matter at hand. DOATEC had to be stopped, nothing else mattered. Nothing else. Nothing.

He tapped the desk, fretting over what mixed around in his thoughts. Continue on and prove his worth as a ninja or abandon it all to prove his worth as a man?

His body vibrated with rage. He hated questions without answers. To him, a question posed to him with no real answer meant defeat. And defeat meant lose. He swore he would never lose again.

However, an un-winnable situation was before him. His mind raced, but only two answers came to him. He ground his teeth, raised a fist, and slammed it on the table, sending a thick crack racing across the dark fake-oak plastic.

He dashed out of office, with purpose.

-----

"Ninja dude?" Dante sang. "Come out come out wherever you are."

Dante waltzed about, sword on shoulder, languidly turning around every few seconds, searching for his missing opponent. His last attack may have sent Ryu flying, but it did not have the power to kill him.

"If you're trying to bore me into quitting, I'll just find someone else to bust up." Dante said out loud. "Unless you're the one callin' it quits?"

Nothing came. Dante had to admit he was getting antsy, intermissions during fights were annoying. But if the ninja planned to lull him into a false sense of security for a surprise attack then Ryu had a surprise of his own coming.

A loud noise came from behind Dante. He whirled around with Ivory at the ready. A metal support beam had fallen out of a wall, breaking through the fancy decorations. Dante frowned. It looked like the entire area was unstable. He wondered if perhaps the building might collapse.

A realization dawned on Dante. It was a trap. He turned around and brought up Rebellion to deflect the blow. Ryu ricocheted off. Dante attempted to turn, but Ryu had already got a cut in from behind. Suddenly, Ryu was somehow all around him at once, slashing with ruthless efficiency.

The ninja struck with a boot to Dante's face. The demon hunter spun in the air and flopped to the ground. With the momentum of the fall, Dante rolled to his feet only to be struck again with Ryu's blade. Dante whirled around with Rebellion. Ryu leaped over the attack and lashed out with a leg aimed at his opponent's jaw. Dante snatched the ninja by the ankle and whipped him around like a child playing with a sparkler.

Dante put the ninja through a wall and slammed him twice on the floor before he tossed him aside. Miraculously, the ninja still had a firm grip on his sword.

Ryu stood promptly and ducked under Dante's follow up attack. The two exchanged sword parries that resulted in a fireworks display of sparks, illuminating the room in intense flickering lights. During the battle, Ryu ducked, weaved, and slid around the room, trying to bedazzle the demon and create an opening. Dante smirked, the ninja was good, but he had taken down more than his fair share of slippery antagonists.

Ryu snapped his katana. Dante swung, but his sword slid off the curved Japanese blade and created a hole in his defense. Ryu capitalized on the weakness and moved in…right into Dante's fist. Ryu stumbled. He blinked rapidly to get this vision back. Rebellion smashed into Ryu's side, knocking him a good ten feet away.

"You used…the flat edge of your sword." Ryu said as he slowly regained his footing. "Are you taunting me?"

"Nah." Dante stabbed Rebellion to the floor and leaned on his sword. "Just don't feel like killin' ya."

"You hold back? Because of how you…feel?" Ryu held his side.

"Yeah, they're called emotions, robot. You know, happy, sad, angry? Any of those ring a bell?" Dante scratched his head. "Well, I'm sure you know about anger."

"Those who rely solely on their emotions in a fight will only experience defeat whether they win or lose."

"Yeah…" Dante said with a cocked eyebrow. "I have no clue what you just said right now. Man, you ninja guys, so uptight."

"I take it your 'emotions' are what lead you to siding with Helena?"

"Kinda. I guess." Dante rubbed his chin. "It's a long story."

"Is it?" Ryu stood tall and removed his hand from his ribs.

A full minute ticked by with the two staring at each other; Ryu, rigid and alert, and Dante, leaning lazily on his sword.

A kunai appeared in Ryu's hand and Dante raised Ivory.

Blue flames suddenly sprung up, an inferno that engulfed several rooms and spread rapidly. The two warriors turned their attention to the sudden freak occurrence.

"Ryu." A voice called, deep and inhuman.

A figure, large and bulky, stepped from the fire, the flames licked at its black armor that glowed with heat.

"Doku." Ryu growled.

"Rejoice ninja of the dragon lineage, for today is the day that I will shed you of your mortal coil and bring about the end of your suffering." The large samurai brought up a katana and removed it from its sheath. "Prepare yourself." He tossed the wooden scabbard away.

"Who's this clown?" Dante asked and unplugged Rebellion from the ground.

"A loose end I need to tie up." Ryu replied. "My apologies, Dante, but I must ask that you wait while I deal with this abomination."

"I take it the two of you aren't old drinking buddies." Dante slung Rebellion onto his shoulders.

"He is a scourge of great evil that I must expunge before he befouls this world any further."

"Jeez. Could you be anymore melodramatic?"

"Don't interfere." Ryu said as he walked toward Doku. "This is a personal matter."

"Whatever." Dante smirked.

-----

"Commander, I've been trying to raise you for thirty minutes." Helena said. After several unsuccessful attempts at using the DOATEC battle-comm., the French Beauty riffled through the DOATEC personnel files with her iPhone and discovered the name and file of C division's commander. She had used the commander's private cell phone. Her security advisor kept her informed, but he had difficulty deducing what was happening after the rocket attack. A second opinion was needed. "I need a situation report."

"Ms. Douglass." The commander hissed out. "I'm afraid I am not in a position to fill you in right now."

"Someone just put a missile into my office, commander." Helena coldly replied. "So tell me, or I'll make your next job picking up my dog's droppings."

A growl came over the line before the commander spoke. "My unit's been severely crippled and the comm-lines are currently down. B division has come to 'relieve' my forces, but right now they're the ones running the show." Each word from the commander dripped with venom, though Helena wondered if perhaps she was not the target of his rage.

"Then put me through to B division's commander." Helena said.

"Who do you think I've been trying to find?" The commander dropped the niceties. "Everyone from his unit has been giving me the run around like I'm some fucking recruit. I was in the French army for fifteen years, goddamn it! I deserve better respect than…"

Helena hung up and began going through DOATEC files to see who was in charge of B division and ways to get a hold of him. As she tapped on her device, she marched down the hall to another safe room, the primary unit. Inside were computers hooked directly into the corporate military network and into the towers internal monitoring and security systems. From there she would be able to effectively control the situation.

She stopped when she felt someone in her way. Two individuals blocked her path.

"You two." Helena said in a whisper. "What are…?" Helena regained her wits and spoke firmer. "You're here with your brother, aren't you?"

"Simply put, yeah, we are." Ayane had her arms crossed. "And we know what he wants."

"Do you?" Helena slowly put her iPhone in a pocket. "Well I believe that your brother doesn't really know what he wants, nor does he know what he's getting himself into."

"Then I guess we have a problem." Ayane smirked. "I'm good at solving problems."

"Please, surrender." Kasumi said. "We do not wish to harm you."

Helena whipped out her Glock and brought it up to fire. Something sliced into her hand and the Glock skidded along the floor with a bloody handle. The French woman cursed and grasped her bleeding hand.

"Try that again and I'll take your trigger finger." Ayane said, holding another kunai. "Let's go, princess, your carriage awaits."

The kunoichis suddenly moved. They did more than just move, but Helena could not clearly see what it was they did for their movements were far too quick. But what she did see was the flash of steel and two bodies hit the ground, bodies that were not that a few seconds ago.

Helena took notice of her surroundings. Ninjas had appeared, hanging on walls, creeping around corners, and peering from behind furniture and art work.

Ayane and Kasumi suddenly appeared next to her. Their backs were to her, forming a three woman ring.

"Looks like we all have a problem now." Ayane muttered.


	31. axes to grind

A/N: Back in action. Yeah, and I thought there would be more free time with the holidays. Wrong-o! Anyways, I graduated, ho-rah! Yet still in college…poop. Anywho, enjoy!

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: DMC owned by Capcom. DOA and NG owned by Team Ninja and Tecmo.

**Dead or Alive 4: The Devil Factor**

**Chapter 31: Axes to Grind**

_DOATEC Tower_

_France_

_Thursday-1:46 a.m._

Dante was unsure who the hulking demon samurai was or what the history between it and Ryu. But he did know that the demon had his brother's scent all over him. Things were getting quite interesting and also too chaotic. The demon hunter was used to the craziness of his life, but even he had a limit.

Still, like the ninja dude said, this was not his fight.

The scene before him bore too strong a resemblance to the grainy samurai flicks on the late night movie channel. The air was brittle with tension as the demon and ninja circled each other with a slowness that made Dante think of someone trying to walk through thick snow. Both combatants had their swords drawn and held at the ready.

A full minute had passed since the demon made his grand entrance and not a sword had been swung. It might as well have been an hour. Dante hated fights that involved the whole eyeing the opponent down and waiting for an opening shtick. Strike hard and fast or don't strike at all. That was his motto. Well one of his mottos.

The two stopped pacing. Something was about to go down. At least Dante hoped so. Boredom had set in long ago.

The samurai demon, Ryu called him Doku, made the first move. The thing slashed its sword to the ground, sending out curtain of blue flame racing for Ryu. The ninja leaped to the side with the ease of a sparrow and charged his opponent.

The demon brought up its sword in defense. Ryu bounced off and did something that impressed the devil hunter. Unlike his fight with the ninja, Ryu did not fly back. Instead he popped over the demon's head, spinning like a buzz saw. Sparks sprayed from the demon's glossy, inky armor as the sword bit at the unearthly metal. Ryu landed behind Doku and swung his sword, hopping to chop off the legs.

An eruption of blue flames pushed Ryu back. The flames toasted the edges of his armor, but the warrior within seemed unscathed.

"You'll have to do better than that to stop me, pest." Doku turned to face Ryu. "I am a demon. I wield the demonic elemental power of the Azure Flame. I command the Damned Shogunate. I…"

A blinding light came from Ryu. Strands of electrical energy sprang out from his body and swarmed him like he was in the center of one of those electric ball things that causes your hair to stand up when you touch it. The electricity concentrated in his hands. He pushed out the power and a thunder bolt struck Doku straight in his face, cutting off his monologue. The demon fell hard, causing the ground under Dante's feet to vibrate.

"Not bad." Dante whistled. "How come you didn't pull that out in our fight?"

"Because I did not find myself in a position where I needed it." Ryu said without taking his eyes off Doku.

Dante inhaled deeply through his nose. "Ah, I can just smell the bullshit coming from ya."

Doku stirred and returned to his feet.

"You'll regret that, worm." Doku growled.

"Don't ya just love it when the big talkers get put down?" Dante said more to himself.

Doku pointed his blade at Dante. "Hold your tongue, whelp. After I have finished with this worthless mortal, your head will be next on the chopping block."

"Oh really?" Dante smirked. "Well sorry t' say, bud, but I've fought and fucked a lot worse than you."

Doku laughed. "Foolish boy. Did you think I appointed myself as your executioner? My master has already claimed that title as his own."

"Lemme guess, my big brother?" Dante said. "And where is my executioner? Taking a dump?"

"Oh, he is far closer than you'd expect." Doku's chuckle echoed inside his helmet. "He's…"

Ryu's form suddenly appeared next to Doku and lashed out in several slashes that were almost invisible by the human eye. The demon stumbled, lost his footing, and almost fell until Ryu put a hand to the demon's chest. A pressure ripped through the air, like a gust of wind from a tornado with the epicenter of it all located in the small space between Ryu's palm and Doku's chest plate.

Like a shot out of a cannon, Doku roared away, right into a wall, bashing through it with ease.

"Your opponent is me." Ryu said. "Do not take me so softly that I would not strike when I see any openings."

The tower shuttered.

"I'd lighten up on the wall smashing, ninja dude." Dante said. "I don't want to claw my way out of skyscraper wreckage."

"This is not a fight I can hold back on." Ryu said. "Toppling this monstrosity might take all of my strength."

A blue fireball spewed from the newly made opening in the wall. Ryu rolled away just as the fiery orb struck the place he stood and immolated the ground. With his sword at the ready, Ryu prepared for another attack.

An awkward moment ticked by. The eerie lack of battle sounds were taken up by the creaking and moaning of the metal in the tower.

Ryu turned a split second before the wall behind him burst like an overburdened dam. Doku charged and locked Ryu in a crushing hold with both arms, almost like the bear hugs Bass performed during his matches. The katana the ninja wielded clattered to the ground.

"Burn." Doku said just as he engulfed himself and his hated adversary in the Azure Flame.

-----

"Holy hell." Tina gasped. "Wha' happened t' this place?"

The trio of Lei-Fang, Bass, and Tina barely recognized the section of the tower that once was Helena's office. Burnt-blackened and twisted metal cluttered the area. A gaping hole held the place of the room where a few hours ago, Tina, Dante, her father, Frenchy, and the rest snapped and growled at each other. Now it was ground zero of…whatever happened. A bomb?

"This ain't no 'police action' or nuthin' like that." Bass mumbled. "This is a God-dang war."

Something passed by the hole. A helicopter, one of the biggest either one had ever seen, buzzed past with a spotlight swooping the sides of the tower.

"A helicopter?" Lei-Fang said. "They brought helicopters? What else they got outside, tanks?"

"Settle down, y'all." Bass said. "Let's focus on what's important an' that's findin' Helena."

"An' wha' makes you think she weren't in there when…whatever this happened?" Tina stabbed a finger at the vacant spot of Helena's office. "She could be dead, daddy! Blown t' bits! She…"

Lei Fang gasped as Bass slapped his daughter across her face. Not as hard as he could, otherwise her head might have come off, but hard enough to leave a rather nasty red mark.

"D…daddy." Tina said nearly in tears and holding her cheek. "You…you hit me."

"Sorry, darlin', but this ain't no time t' be losin' our heads." Bass said softly. "We can't think 'bout "wha' might be" at a time like this."

"So what do we do?" Lei Fang asked.

"Well we can't just run around like a chicken wit' his head cut off." Bass scratched his scalp. "But we can't stay here, it's too open. We should find a safe place and stay put."

"Sound advice." A Russian accented voice said.

Bass suddenly put himself between the two girls as Bayman walked out of the shadows, pistol in hand.

"An' what's yer business here, hitman?" Bass growled.

"Easy there, cowboy, we're on the same side here." Bayman put a hand out in a gesture for Bass to settle down.

"Are we?" Bass said sarcastically and nodded to the gun. "Then what's that fer?"

Bayman shot a look at Lei Fang. "Her."

Lei Fang blinked. Tina and Bass looked at her before returning to Bayman with a skeptical look.

"Ya need a gun t' protect ya from a lil' Asian girl?" Bass raised an eyebrow. "Big man, aint'cha?"

"Hey!" Lei Fang shouted in objection. "I'm not a 'lil' Asian girl'. You're just sore over that beating I gave you in Vegas."

"She's with the people trying to kidnap Helena." Bayman said, annoyed with the conversation. "She's an enemy."

"Not anymore, she ain't." Tina stepped up. "Cause we got a new enemy, one with lots o' guys with guns."

"I heard. Donovan's going all out?" Bayman paused for a moment. "So, this is one of those 'enemy of my enemy' moments, eh?"

"More or less." Bass replied.

Bayman put the gun away. "You know, the problem with that assumption is what happens when the big enemy is dead?"

Bass loosened his stance but kept himself between the Russian and the two women under his care.

Tina recognized the man from earlier in the day as one of the old guys from Helena's office. She was surprised that she did not recognize the Russian fighter earlier, perhaps because she was not used to seeing a guy like him in regular clothes. He had returned to his standard military uniform with beret.

"Leon and I have a secure place nearby along with some of your friends." Bayman looked at Lei-Fang. "C'mon, this way."

-----

The ninjas were not with the Mugen Tenshin or any human clan. That much Kasumi knew for certain. The stench of the unnatural clung to each shadow warrior. Plus the dead give away came from the two ninja that she and her sister killed a few moments ago. They had suddenly become vapor.

"These guys again." Ayane cursed in her native language.

"You fought these creatures before?" Kasumi asked.

"Yeah." Ayane growled. "These are the bastards that burned our home to the ground."

Kasumi felt a chill go down her spine. The tingling heat of anger floated about in her belly.

"These ninja." Helena asked. "Who are they?"

"They're not ninja." Ayane said in English. "They're monsters."

Helena turned back. "Monsters? What do you mean?"

"Demons." Kasumi said coldly. "They're all demons. Damned Ninja."

Helena did not say anything. Instead she appeared to be in deep thought, her eyes bounced around as she accessed her brain.

"Dante fought demons." Helena said. "He should know how to defeat them."

"I already know how to defeat them." Ayane said. "Just kill them like anyone else."

The violet haired kunoichi whipped her arm out and let three kunai fly. Two of the ninjas dove out of the way but one was far too slow. It dropped with a kunai stuck between its eyes.

The attack broke the stalemate and the unearthly beings rushed the three women. Kasumi blurred through the Damned Ninja, her wakizashi became one with the wind as she slashed apart those unfortunate enough to be in her way. Five demons fell apart.

One ninja came at her from the air, sword at the ready. Kasmi used her blade to slide the attack away and performed a flip kick to knock the demon out of the air. A second ninja came at her in a running crouch and stood when it struck, like a snake out of the grass. She parried the attack and tripped the demon. The first demon renewed his attack, forcing Kasumi to cancel her finishing blow. Kasumi used her sword defensively, concentrating on blocking the attacks, waiting for an opening. The second ninja hopped to its feet and joined in.

Kasumi found herself sandwiched between the two and spun about with the grace of a ballerina, blocking and dodging every sword strike. The two demons tried attacking at the same time, one slashed at her chest while the other targeted her legs. With ease, Kasumi bounded over the attack and landed on the second ninja, locking hits head with her thighs. She leaned back and flipped the ninja into the second ninja. The two demons fell in a clump. Before they could untangle themselves, Kasumi skewered both of them with her sword in one swift stab.

Ayane leaped into the air and spun like a top. Needle-like projectiles shot out of her like shrapnel from a grenade. The demon's scattered, but several fell and dissolved into smoke. When she landed, she lashed out with a leg and nailed an approaching demon in the head, spinning him to the ground.

"C'mon!" She yelled. "I butchered a lot more than you guys before!"

Something snaked around her neck, the chain of a kusarigama, a weapon of consisting of a sickle and an iron weight connected by a chain. Instinctively she brought her arm up to protect her throat. The chain tied her arm and neck together, effectively turning her into a one armed sitting duck. A Damned Ninja came at her, ready to finish her off.

Ayane smiled. These demons played right into her hands.

In one fluid motion, Ayane slipped the chain over her head, spun around the ninja's attack, and wrapped the chain around the ninja's throat. Still holding on the chain, she planted a foot on the ninja's chest, and pulled hard on the chain. Just as the ninja's head popped off, she flung a kunai through the smoke jutting from the stump. The projectile punctured the ninja that wielded the kusarigama. As the weapon flew from the demon's grasp, Ayane snagged the chain with her other hand and tugged the chain into a whipping motion, arcing the scythe around, lopping off the body parts of surrounding demons.

Before she could complete the arch, one demon grew wise and slashed at the chain. The scythe flew off and stuck itself into the wall. Ayane thanked the ninja that cut off the chain with a kunai to its face. She rushed back into the group as it came together for a counter-attack.

Helena batted away a demon using her arms in large, chopping motions, the way Pi Gua Quan was meant to be used. A second demon came up behind her, swinging its sword. Helena barely made it out of the way, though the tip cut into her clothes. The French woman stomped her heel on the demon's shin to weaken its footing before she preformed a leg sweep.

The opera star hated to admit it, but she was at a disadvantage. She had no real experience fighting off multiple opponents at this scale.

She intercepted a leg aimed for her head with her arm, used her other to sweep the demon's leg, and sent it spinning headfirst to the ground.

Plus she was not excited of having to fight back to back to back with the ninja sisters. Once the demon problem went away, she would be back to her original problem.

She ducked under a sword and popped back up for a double kick.

Something caught her eye. Her gun lay a mere few feet from her position. She rolled away from a pouncing demon and snagged the weapon. The firearm training kicked in and she pulled off four shoots. Four demons fell to the ground. The remaining horde stepped over their fallen brothers and continued their advance.

She carefully walked backward as she fired, dropping more demons. Suddenly the gun clicked. Empty. She had no spare clips on her person. She chucked the gun at a demon that swatted it aside like a bothersome fly. Why she threw that gun eluded her. Perhaps watching all those bad action films had influenced her more than she thought.

Suddenly a blur of purple and blue swooped into the demons, slicing and bashing the demons into smoke. Watching Kasumi and Ayane work gave Helena a cold feeling. There was no way she could take on both at once.

Soon the only things left standing was the three women.

"There," Ayane sighed and dusted off her hands. "All taken care of."

"Why did they attack us now?" Kasumi asked. "Is something else happening?"

"Not our problem." Ayane replied, although her tone sounded like she felt differently. "We've got a mission to complete."

Kasumi suddenly dashed forward and took Helena's legs out from under her. Her attack was so quick that Helena did not even react to the trip. Instead she braced herself for the fall. To add to the confusion, the ninja girl somehow got underneath her and broke her fall.

Someone else was there, another demon? It was definitely an enemy as it brought around its sword again for a second strike. How did it get so close to deliver a first strike?

The attack was aborted when Ayane struck with a kick. The demon vanished into white smoke..

"Damn," Ayane cursed. "Looks like I spoke too soon."

Helena looked back and saw the demon reappear with the same white smoke. This one looked different than the others. This one had a female form and her skin was pale white. The demon held up its short sword in an attack posture.

"Only one?" Ayane smirked. "Wow, I'm insulted."

The floor rumbled. Beings that resembled nightmarish samurais in full armor thundered through the hallways, sandwiching the women between themselves and the woman demon, correction, three other women. Two more had popped up when Helena was counting the samurais. A larger, purple samurai demon appeared behind the three demon women, a pike in its hand.

"You had to say something, didn't you?" Helena said.

Ayane grit her teeth. Helena could see that the purple haired kunoichi realized that the current situation was not in their favor.

"So," Ayane said. "Any ideas?"

One of the demon women suddenly vanished in a puff of white smoke. Helena reacted a second too late as the demon already had its blade in motion. Metal flashed…and the demon immediately fell into pieces.

Everyone froze. Confusion broke the tension. In the demon's place was a ninja in white.

"Brother." Kasumi uttered in Japanese.

"Master Hayate!" Ayane said with a smile.

Helena clenched her fists. Things had taken a bad turn for her.

The demons, realizing the situation, charged.

"Kasumi. Ayane." Hayate called out and assumed a ninjitsu stance. "Together!"

-----

The blue flame's intensity made Dante raise a hand to shield his eyes. The heat toasted the edges of his clothes, forcing him take a few cautious steps back.

The light dimmed and the heat waned. Soon the brilliant blue vanished to reveal Doku standing at the epicenter…and Ryu still in his grasp, uncooked.

"What?" Doku said in a surprised tone.

Three fireballs suddenly sprouted from nothingness and pelted Doku, buzzing like gnats around a gas station's neon sign. Dante could tell that the large demon was more annoyed than injured. Doku let out a yell of frustration when Ryu broke out of the hold.

The demon took a few staggering steps back while Ryu used Doku's breast plate to push off of for a backwards flip. The dragon ninja snatched up his sword. The two recomposed themselves.

"You used your Fire Ninpo to protect yourself from my Azure Flame." Doku said in an almost impressed tone. "Clever. But how did you know your Ninpo would counteract my demon fire?"

"I didn't." Ryu said like it did not matter.

A throaty subdued chuckle came from the demon. "Still relying on luck to save you, little ninja?"

"I'm not the one that died twice, Doku."

Although Doku did not have a face, it was obvious that Ryu had struck a nerve. The flames inside its helmet flared up and it tightened its hold on its sword.

"Then I shall repay the debt I owe you by burning your body _and_ your soul to nothingness." Doku flicked his sword up from a relaxed state to a battle stance.

Dante expected another boring standoff. Instead the demon suddenly shot forward and closed the gap between the ninja literally in a blink of an eye. A trail of blue flames traced the path from Doku's starting point to Ryu. The ninja danced around like a bird hopping along the ground. Doku pursued, unleashing an attack whenever it got within range.

The cat-and-mouse game lasted only a few seconds until Ryu went on the offensive. With an unnerving grace, Ryu sliced at Doku, his blade cutting into the sections between metal where the demon's armor did not protect. Instead of blood, bluish flames spewed out of the wound.

The lack of blood did not faze Dante. He had seen demons that had weirder shit for blood. One actually had shit.

Doku flailed about, trying to bat away the ninja. Although Dante could see that Doku's form was not as tight as it had been earlier, one hit and the ninja would be sliced in twain _and_ set ablaze. Not a pleasant way to go.

Ryu managed to sink his blade into Doku's side, normally a kill shot. Unfortunately for Ryu, there were no organs to puncture.

Doku raised his blade and prepared to cleave his opponent in half. Ryu moved out of the way, but having to pull his sword out caused a slight delay in his movements. The delay that could barely be noticed cost Ryu dearly. Doku's blade grazed Ryu's arm. The blade missed flesh, but the fire that swathed the demon's weapon seemed to toast the ninja's shoulder.

Ryu leaped back, putting great space between the two. The demon put an armored hand to its side and the ninja clutched his shoulder. The demon's wound seeped out wisps of blue flame and air curdling heat. The ninja's arm had a good sized spot that held the same color as his suit. That was gonna sting now and later.

Dante smirked. "If this ends with you two killing each other I'm just gonna shit bricks. It'll be like one of those sad endings in samurai flicks." A chuckle came next. "Hey, do that thing where you two jump in the air at each other, light flashes, ya land, a dramatic moment tics by, then you both fall over. I got twenty bucks that says shit like that happens in real life."

Neither warrior responded or even gave the demon hunter a glimpse. Apparently the fight had gotten to a point where the next few strikes would determine the outcome of the fight.

Dante snorted. Now he was thinking like the samurai flicks. Real fights always have the chance of ending abruptly if one of the other guys gets lucky or does something stupid.

He briefly wondered if there was other crazy action happening in the tower.

-----

"Blue team, do you copy?" The radio crackled. "Blue team, respond."

The radio hissed as the voice at the other end waited for an answer that would not come. A lifeless hand clutched the radio. Guns, ammo casings, and bodies were strewn about like holiday decorations. Blood splattered the walls and bullet holes made the room look like it had broken out in hives.

"Damn it, respond." The voice grew impatient. "I need a sitrep. Blue team? Res…"

A black leather heeled boot stomped on the radio, breaking it.

"Damn." Trish hissed. "Why didn't these guys fall back?"

The blonde demoness took off her sunglasses. "When half your team gets wiped out in two minutes you don't press on, you get the hell outta there."

Killing humans was not a new experience. In fact she had probably put most serial killers to shame. Unlike them, she did not revel in death, the same as Dante. Yet, like Dante, she knew that sometimes taking a life was unavoidable.

"If they're this committed, we're gonna have to get our hands very dirty to get through this."

Trish holstered her guns and made her way to the stairs, hoping to catch up to Lei Fang and the others.

-----

"We're here." Bayman said.

The group stood in a hallway a few floors down from Helena's office. Bayman knocked on a door in a peculiar way. Three quick knocks followed by two short ones followed by a final knock. The door opened.

"It's about time." An Italian-accented voice said. "I was wondering if you couldn't find them."

"I find everyone." Bayman said in strict seriousness.

"Too bad it takes you forever." Leon said without humor. He stepped aside to let the group in.

The room was a closed off meeting room with a small table and a few office chairs. On the table was a young girl with chestnut colored hair and a denim jacket. Tina instantly identified her as Hitomi. She was laid out on the table and apparently asleep. She looked like she had seen some action: disheveled clothes, cuts and bruises, and a few bandages.

She found another in the room. A young man slumped by the wall with his arm in a makeshift sling. He also looked like he was put through the ringer. His clothes had a Chinese design and his hair looked like someone dunked a barrel of water on him and then stuck his head in a wind tunnel. Calling it messy would have been a complement. The man groaned and looked up. His face was pale and sweaty, like he had caught a cold.

"Great." The man slurred. "Just wha' we need. More…"

The man trailed off. His eyes fluttered as he fought to stay awake.

"Jann Lee!" Lei Fang gasped and rushed to his side. "What's wrong? Are you ok?"

The former bouncer did not reply, instead he just groaned and leaned back on the wall.

"What did you do to him?" Lei Fang shot Leon a glare.

"I gave him some Analgesics." Leon said in a matter of fact tone.

Lei Fang somehow looked both confused and angry at the same time.

"Painkillers." Leon explained. "Morphine to be precise."

"Was he hurt that badly?" Tina asked.

"Not really, but I was getting sick of him trying to act like he could still fight." Leon replied bluntly.

Tina pressed her lips together, unable to think of a response. She did not even want to respond. She just wanted things to go back to normal.

"How's th' lil' one here?" Bass thumbed at Hitomi.

"Unconscious, but stable. Nothing serious, but it would be safe to get her checked by a doctor, my first aid knowledge only goes so far." Leon said.

"If we don't find a way out of this, it'll be a coroner that looks her over." Bayman closed the door behind them. "DOATEC forces are crawling all over the place. All of which are loyal to Donovan and his almighty dollars."

"I've been listening to their comm-chatter." Leon patted a device that looked like a beefed up walkie-talkie on the table. "Something else is going on that's got DOATEC spooked. Another party appears to be in on the action."

"What sort of party? Mercenaries? The French Army?" Bayman inquired.

"Unknown, but something heavy is going down inside the tower. Something destructive. According to the reports, the tower is no longer structurally sound. We're going to have to relocate elsewhere."

"No longer structu-whatsis?" Tina asked. "Wait, does that mean this place here is gonna fall apart?"

"It might." Leon said like it was not that big of deal. "Which is why we need to leave."

"An' go where?" Bass asked.

"There's a studio apartment nearby I bought for such occasions." Bayman gripped his pistol. "We can hold up there until its safe to contact Helena."

"An' if th' French lady kicks th' bucket?" Bass asked.

"We'll figure it out. Baby steps." Bayman said. "Be prepared to move out soon. Bass, can you give Jann Lee a hand?"

The burly Texan grumbled something about being tired of hauling useless things and moved to the drugged Jeet Kune Doe master.

-----

Leon moved closer to Bayman and whispered to him in Russian. "I just heard that the team they sent in through the first floor was wiped out." Leon checked behind him to see Bass and Lei Fang preoccupied with a frustrated Jann Lee and a melancholy Tina gazing over a still knocked out Hitomi. "The reports said that three individuals fled during the fight. They were identified as Tina, Bass, and Lei Fang."

"What are you getting at?" Bayman whispered back

"A fourth stayed behind. A woman, they didn't know whom." Leon said. "After those three ran, that's when the slaughtering happened."

"So the woman is connected to those three?"

"Most likely to Lei Fang, Jann Lee, Hitomi, and the ninjas, but to be honest, this woman could be a wild card or…" Leon trailed off.

"I get it." Bayman replied. "We'll keep an eye on our friends for now, just be ready in case we need to unload some dead weight."

"I'm always ready."

-----

Helena was not sure how to properly classify her situation, but a colorful adage about being up a certain type of creak without proper propulsion came to mind. Two sets of enemies were currently locked in battle with neither side's victory being in her favor. She doubted that both sides would just kill each other off. Such good fortune never paid her a visit.

Ayane and Kasumi minced through a group of samurais with blades flashing on both sides. Ayane had appropriated two mid sized katanas from her first two samurai victims. Kasumi kept her own blade for battle, although she seemed just as proficient at killing the demons as Ayane.

The samurais, as big as they were, did not have the speed to hit the nimble sisters. They did, however, have superior numbers. While their swarming tactics did not seem to go well for them, it forced the girls to keep moving with no time to defend or counter, just strike and move on.

Hayate faced off against the larger purple demon and the two demon women. The battle almost made her eyes hurt. The wind ninja and the demon women flickered, like a strobe light. They flashed from one spot to the next, exchanging blows. Only the purple demon remained motionless, it stood with crossed arms, the pole weapon still in its hand. It was obviously the leader.

She thought about fighting the demons, but so far they were far more interested in the ninjas than her. Besides, if the ninjas won, they were going to take her away and judging by her past interactions with Hayate she doubted the two of them would have a friendly chat over tea.

Only one course of action came to her mind. Escape. Now. While the two factions kept each other busy.

She looked about. There were doors everywhere, but she had not committed the entire tower's layout by memory. It would look rather foolish for her to make a mad dash and accidentally lock herself into a closet.

One of the demon women went down with its head absent. The second demon woman attempted an attack from behind the ninja, only to receive the ninja's blade through her forehead.

Hayate pulled his sword free and paid no mind to the body as it crumpled to the floor and vanished into white smoke. He turned to the purple demon. The demon brought its arms to the side and stepped forward.

Her window of opportunity was shrinking. The fight would be concluded soon.

Action had to be taken.

-----

The Damned Shogunate once provided a rather complex challenge, but that was weeks ago. Hayate had learned their tactics, strengths, and most importantly, their weaknesses. He reached behind him and retrieved his bow that unfurled itself. He drew back on the arrow and took aim. The arrow crackled and glowed pure white.

The demon suddenly shot forward, like someone had attached rockets to his back. It thrust out its pike, destroying Hayate's bow, just as the Mugen Tenshin Clan leader anticipated. He dropped the bow and unsheathed his blade as he took a step into the Damned Shogunate's personal space. With two quick strikes, Hayate severed the demon's arm and head. The wind ninja had his blade back in its sheath before the body had hit the ground.

Hayate hated to waste a perfectly good bow, but he had to end the battle with the demon fast. The longer his allies and he remained in the tower, the more danger they were in.

He turned back to his sisters. They were wrapping up as well, only five Damned Samurais stood. He allowed a faint smile when he saw Kasumi and Ayane's rhythm and teamwork. Kasumi leaped high and struck at one of the demons. The demon blocked the attack with its sword, leaving it open to Ayane who sliced at its legs. As the Damned Samurai began to fall, Kasumi, still in the air, thrust her blade into the demon's helmet, cracking it open like an egg. When the body hit the floor, they were already taking apart the next one.

If only they got along as well as they fought together.

Hayate glanced at Helena or at least where Helena was supposed to be. He looked around, but could not find her.

"Damn it!" Hayate cursed through clenched teeth.

Hayate looked around again more thoroughly, looking for a clue. However, the devastation from the night's events made it difficult to determine a clue of Helena from debris.

"Brother," Kasumi faintly called out, "what is the matter?"

"Helena! She ran!" Hayate fumed. "Unacceptable! This is…" The wind ninja began using calming breathing techniques.

"Master Hayate." Ayane bowed deeply. "I apologize for our failure in apprehending Helena. Please forgive us."

"No." Hayate said. "It is not your fault. I blame myself for turning my back to her." Hayate looked back at his sisters who stood before him, concerned but…glowing, perhaps this was going to be as close to a 'family moment' as they were going to get.

"What shall we do now?" Kasumi asked.

Hayate remained silent.

-----

"How much farther?" Tina asked.

The blonde Texan hated being a follower. It was her natural instinct to be a leader, to forge ahead for herself. Even with death and destruction as common as flowers in a garden, she could not shake off the nagging feeling of not being in control.

"I know your scared, but don't start asking pointless questions." Bayman said from his lead position.

"I ain't scared." Tina said bitingly. "I jus' don't like being lead 'round by th' nose."

"The place is not far." Leon said from his rear position. "But getting there won't be as simple as going out the front door and walking down the street. The current situation requires stealth and subtlety."

"Yeah, stealth is…what I'm all about." Jann Lee hissed with his arm around Lei Fang's shoulder. He was still weary, but he appeared to have gotten some of his energy back. Lei Fang, who helped him walk, jabbed him in the ribs.

"Oh, shut up." Lei Fang said. "I don't want us bickering again."

"Bickerin's my second language, youngin'." Bass said, piggybacking a still unconscious Hitomi. "But I wouldn' mind some peace and quiet right now. 'Specially th' peace part."

Tina kept pace behind her father, her arms crossed. Now and then she would reach out and rub Hitomi on the back, like she could flip some sort of switch and turn her friend's brain back on. She hated seeing one of her few friends hurt.

People always assumed that public stars like Tina were stuck up brats with enough friends to start a small army. Maybe they were right about the stuck up part, she was not so thick as to say she was not, but the friends part was not just off the mark, but off the entire map. The people that tagged along with her to parties and clubs were posers, shallow wannabes that kissed her ass and rode her coattails, people who could just as easily stop being her friend, should things ever sour.

Hitomi was not like them. She was sweet and cheerful. More importantly her sweetness and cheerfulness were _real_, not an act. And confident too. When she first met her in the third tournament, she was confident in herself and her karate. Not boastful or prideful. Win or lose, she was respectful. A bit too naive, but that's where her part of the friendship came in. Experience in life. Together with Lei Fang, the three were fast friends.

Even after the tournament, they were still friends. Sometimes she would fly to Germany or bring Hitomi and Lei Fang to Texas to have a girl's night out or something. The three of them even had a little unspoken system worked out. When one had to fight the other in the tournament, they gave it all they got, afterwards the two would go to dinner, with the loser paying of course, followed by shopping or a movie, whichever tickled their fancy.

What she would give to have that again.

A few muted pops and booms came from somewhere inside the tower.

"The fighting's still going on." Bayman said dispassionately. "Good. We'll have a better chance of slipping away in the confusion."

Tina could not tell if he was being honest or he was attempting sarcasm.

"Yeah, and a better…chance of…gettin' shot." Jann Lee wheezed out.

"Hush, Jann Lee." Lei Fang said in a quiet tone. "Just…hush."

The Chinese man grumbled something and fell back into silence.

Bayman stopped cold. He held up a fist, a military sign 'for hold your position'. Bayman and Leon went over some basic military stuff with the group before they began their trek. Everyone halted. Tina peered around Bayman's form to see what was going on.

Someone stood in their path. A man in blue with a cape…no wait, it was a long coat draped over his shoulders. His hair was eerily white and his face bore an all too familiar resemblance.

"Dante?" Tina asked elatedly. "Baby, where've ya been?"

Dante did not say a word.

"Nice threads, sweetie." Tina chuckled. "But blue ain'tcher color."

"That's not him." Bayman said.

Before Tina could respond, the burly Russian snapped his pistol up and fired. A few things happened that perplexed her. One, a brilliant flash filled the room, a flicker most likely, quicker than the eye could blink. A flash that did not come from Bayman's silenced pistol. Two, the man in blue did not fall. In fact she did not see anything hit him. Third, the man's coat had fluttered, like a strong gust had gone by.

Bayman fired again and kept firing. More flashes came, each coinciding from every shot Bayman fired.

The assassin stopped firing, but kept his gun trained on the man in blue.

"Bullets." The man said in a voice that was not Dante's. "Little pieces of lead. What else are you going to throw at me, pillows?"

"Who the hell are you?" Bayman growled.

"Normally, I'd have a clever and intimidating response." The man said. "But since I'm dealing with peons, I'll just tell you that I'm the one who will be carving your hearts out of your chests."

The man who was not Dante brought something out from his coat, something long. It was a sword, a Japanese one still in its sheath. Did this guy think he was a ninja or samurai or something?

"You blocked my shots with a sword?" Bayman said, disbelievingly.

"Observant." The man said.

"He cut bullets outta th' air?" Bass almost laughed. "No way! Impossible."

"What's impossible for you humans," The man said vindictively, "is nothing for me."

Leon appeared alongside Bayman, his gun drawn.

Tina heard Jann Lee groan. "I gotta…real bad feelin'…'bout this guy."

The man in blue thumbed the hilt of his sword to reveal an inch of cold steel.

"Like lambs to the slaughter." The man in blue said more to himself.

-----

Dante grumbled. He was wrong about the fight ending soon. Both warriors were still going strong…sort of.

It was not that their fight was boring, he was sure both combatants could not be anymore stimulated then they currently were. But watching a fight and being in a fight were two completely different deals. Plus he had no real side to root for. Whoever won would face Dante next.

On second thought, he kind of hoped that the demon would win. Dante had not fought a demon in a while, ironically.

A sudden feeling crept through his soul, a cold jolt that turned his senses on to full alert, a high that not even drugs could hope to attain. Rebellion on his back crackled and sizzled with red pulsating energy.

Dante looked up and saw burnt out ceiling, but he could feel the force that was above him.

"Oh, hell yes." Dante whispered in excitement. "I was hoping to have another crack at you again."

Dante looked back at the fight. Doku plunged his sword into the ground, unleashing a curtain of flame at Ryu. The ninja soared back, the fringes of the fires nipping at his body. When he landed, the fires had vanished and he pounced back into the fray.

"Screw this." Dante turned walked off.

-----

Donovan strummed his fingers anxiously as he stared into his computer's screen. Every news channel, every news internet site, every new Youtube video was focused on the events at the Paris DOATEC tower. Controlling information in the current era had become problematic to the point of impossibility.

Spinning the news, however, was still a time-honored option. By next morning, everyone will see and believe that another anti-corporation terrorist attack had occurred. Some names will be pulled out of the who's who of terrorism list, a few televised speeches on how DOATEC and the rest of the world will not stand for such atrocities, and a 'terrorist stronghold' bombed here or there. Then the world goes back to the way it was. It was almost like a dance, assuming, of course, that the current battle is winnable.

He did not like what he saw. Entire teams were being wiped out, the _Cyclones_ failed spectacularly, and he was getting unconfirmed reports of a third party currently in action.

DOATEC's security forces were holding the chaos at bay, but from his vantage, it was only a matter of time before the walls broke and the flood was unleashed.

His 'ace in the hole', as the term goes, was still hovering over the tower, ready to drop his Beta project at a moments notice.

Of course his 'ace in the hole' was untested bio weapons each worth more than some countries' defense budget. If things soured, his future would be bleak and very short.

"Nothing ventured…" Donovan mumbled to himself.

He tapped the computer's mouse. A window popped up on his screen. A man in a flight helmet stared back at him.

"Lieutenant Giroud, prepare to drop your payload. Target the center of the tower. The canisters were specially designed for this type of delivery, so there should be no troubles, understood?"

"Yes, sir." Lieutenant Giroud replied with a heavy French accent.

Donovan pondered over his next course of action. He had already prepared for clean up and retrieval of his Beta series. The clones had no real friend or foe program, so collateral damage was to be expected. He was tapped into their cognitive functions so he could put them in a 'passive mode' once they were finished with their tasks. Nearly everything was accounted for.

At least he hoped so. Even for a mind like his, foreseeing everything was impossible.

Donovan took the plunge. "Deliver when ready, Giroud."


	32. smothering the flames

A/N: I am currently at a crossroads in my life with my future rather opaque. To sum up things, my graduate student position is not as stable as I thought and my current homework load dwarfs what I had in the past. Not to mention I have come to a realization of my life that has forced me to do some serious soul searching. But before I drag you all down, I want to say that despite it all, I am going on with my stories because I like to write them and I'm not letting anything take that away from me!

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: DMC owned by Capcom. DOA and NG owned by Team Ninja and Tecmo.

**Dead or Alive 4: The Devil Factor**

**Chapter 32: Smothering the Flames**

_DOATEC Tower_

_France_

_Thursday-2:13 a.m._

Bayman was not sure just who the man in blue was, but he had the same feel as Dante, but much colder. This man had the stance of a killer, a true cold blooded killer. Not a murderer. Anyone could murder someone. A killer was someone who made killing an art and a science, the science of what to cut to kill the quickest or the slowest, to make death instant or excruciatingly long. The art was in form and execution. A man with a Japanese blade could make a killing blow seem graceful. A bullet to the head could have its flare, but nothing could beat the feel of a one on one kill.

To kill far away was one thing, a kill up close where you could see the life drain from your targets face was quite another. It was life changing and sometimes soul crushing. He remembered his first kill. 12 years old. It was a chaotic time back then, his country still trying to put itself together, a war that was never spoken about. A soldier was careless, left his sidearm unattended while he tried to claim a civilian woman as a prize. Bayman had emptied the clip. Not a bullet was wasted. The soldier in a pool of his own blood. The woman half naked. Sobbing. Screaming. Hysterical.

Bayman cleared his head. No such time for reminiscing.

The man vanished. He did not move or jump. He was just gone.

On sheer instinct, Bayman rolled away just as something sliced over his head.

Leon reacted and fired. The man in blue swatted the gun with the tip of his scabbard, making the shot miss. Bayman completed his roll and emptied what was left in his clip. The man in blue spun his sword like a windmill, creating a vortex that swallowed his bullets.

The two ex-soldiers watched in awe as the man in blue kept the bullets in motion with his blade before he swung around and slashed his sword at them, unleashing the shots. Bayman and Leon fell back, trying to hit the floor to avoid the shots.

Bayman hissed as a bullet tore into his side.

The man in blue was on them in an instant, his sword flashing as it slashed down.

Death did not come, instead something slammed into the man in blue.

"Simmer down there, partner." Tina yelled. "Or I'm gonna show ya what we do t' ornery lil' shits like you back home."

The blonde woman had the man in blue in a body lock, securing his arms and legs. His sword and its scabbard had slid away from his grip.

"Thatta girl, darlin'!" Bass whooped. "Take that sword-packin' psycho down a peg!"

Bayman tried to sit back up, but a sharp pain almost put him on his back again.

"Doesn't look bad." Leon said as he examined the wound. "One of your ribs deflected the shot. Bullet's not even in you anymore." The Italian sighed and shook his head. "You're a lucky son of a gun."

"Yeah, I'm blessed." Bayman said. "Thinking about buying a lottery ticket when this is all over."

"Stop bitching." Leon replied.

"Time t' act like a piggy an' squeal." Tina said, putting pressure on her hold. "Who are ya? An' why ya tryin' t' kill us?" She moved in closer and hissed in his ear. "An' why do ya have my boyfriend's face? Tell me or I'll make sure t' break every single bone in yer pathetic body in alphabetical order."

The man in blue did not look pained. He looked…annoyed.

"Playin' th' tough guy, eh?" Tina smirked. "Bad news fer you, baby. I make tough guys cry fer their mommas fer a livin'."

"Enough." The man in blue said.

In a movement that Bayman could only describe as unnatural, the man in blue ripped himself from Tina's hold and tossed her aside like an empty beer can. She bounced off a wall and landed in a heap on front of her father.

"Stupid woman." The man said as he straightened his coat. "I let you pin me. According to Donovan's records, you and your father are the physically strongest of the DOA fighters. I wanted to see how strong." The man in blue struck a gaze at the fallen Texan. "Disappointment. That's all I ever get from you humans."

"Get this!" Bass hurled a nearby decorative table.

The man in blue shoved his palm out, striking the table just as his arm fully extended, snapping the wooden furniture neatly in two. A rather remarkable feat.

The table had been a rouse. Just as the man in blue struck, Bass was already upon him. The three hundred plus pound blond man slammed into the man in blue like a sumo wrestler and pushed him back. Unfortunately, the feeling that Bass would be able to take care of the problem was fleeting when the Texan came to a grinding halt. The man in blue hoisted Bass over his head and tossed him aside just like Tina.

Tina jumped the man in blue from behind, wrapped her arms around his waist, and threw him back into a wall.

"This is bad." Bayman grasped his side.

"I don't know." Leon said more optimistically. "Those two might be able to take him down."

"Look more closely."

Tina came after the man in blue, ready to continue the pummeling. The man stood calmly, his coat swaying like a cape. Tina threw a punch. Her fist swung awkwardly as it hit nothing. The man had vanished, flowed around her and threw a precise punch that knocked her on her back.

Bass dived at the man in blue, hoping to flatten him with his mass. Odd, considering that when the large man tried the same tactic before, it did not end well. Bayman retracted his statement when he saw Tina preparing to tackle their enemy from behind, a sandwich maneuver.

The man in blue, however, reacted swiftly. He took the legs out from under Tina and swooped away from Bass, all within a blink of an eye, causing the two to crash into each other.

"Shit." Leon cursed. "He's fast."

"Bingo." Bayman said. "Those two always had problems with the quicker fighters."

"I thought that sword thing was just some stupid trick." Leon shook his head. "But if that was pure speed…"

"Dante's not that fast." Bayman wheezed. "Hell, the ninja's aren't that fast."

Bass lunged for the man in blue who spun away from his grasp and struck the large man's back with his palm, sending him careening into the wall. Tina tried a running kick. The man in blue had suddenly appeared beside her while she was in mid air and slammed her to the ground.

"He's good." Bayman grit his teeth. "Damn, he's more than good."

"Good thing we're used to taking on the 'more than good'." Leon replied.

Bayman smirked. "If we keep that sword away from him, we got a chance."

The man in blue tossed Tina aside and marched over to where his sword had dropped. A vacant floor was all he found.

"Looking for this?"

The man in blue looked over to see his weapon placed back in its scabbard in Lei Fang's hands. The girl had a cat-like grin plastered on her face. "What's wrong? Want your sword back?"

The man in blue did not say anything.

"This is what you get for underestimating us." Lei Fang stuck her tongue out. "Finders keepers, losers…"

Tina snuck up behind the man in blue and attempted a grappling move. Like a cobra, the man in blue reacted to the attack and somehow managed to get the woman in a headlock.

"Give me my blade." The man said coldly. "Or the last thing this woman will hear will be her own neck breaking."

Lei Fang's smile fell.

"Now." The man said with even more venom. He jerked her head slightly, making Tina hiss in pain. "Throw it here."

"Don't…don't do it." Jann Lee gasped for air. "He'll just…kill us all."

Bayman then noticed something that Tina had winked at Lei Fang. She then tossed the sword. Just as the sword left the Chinese girl's grasp, Tina wretched herself free from the man's grasp, wrapped her arms around his stomach from behind, hoisted him up and dropped him on his head, a German suplex. Bayman leaped at the sword, ignoring the sudden shooting pain in his chest, and snatched the weapon. Just as the man in blue hit, Bass was there and continued the attack with another German suplex.

The Back-To-Back Attack. According to the American television reporters, it was an Armstrong family favorite.

Leon joined in and leaped upon the man in blue and began raining blows upon him. The Italian only managed to get three decent hits in before the man in blue retaliated. The man's gloved hand snaked out and intercepted the Italian's giant fist.

Bayman heard the distinct sound of bones crunching. Leon grunted in pain. The man in blue pushed on Leon's chest with enough force to send him into the ceiling and bounce back to the ground.

The man returned to his feet. Bass ran in, his fist in motion. In one blinding motion, the man somehow ducked under the swing, knocked his feet out, and planted Bass into the ground with a solid punch to the back. The man seemed to _slide_ back to avoid Tina's kick and unleashed three punches, one to her stomach, another to her chest, and a third to her face. He was already walking away while she crumpled to the ground.

Lei Fang was frozen in place as the man in blue approached. She could not run, that would mean leaving her friends unprotected. Hitomi was still out. Bass had propped her up on the wall before he made his entrance. Jann Lee was still groggy from the painkillers. He was standing, but not much else. He had to lean on the wall for support.

Bayman slapped a fresh clip into his pistol and took aim.

The man vanished. He appeared in front of her, a few inched from her face. Lei Fang froze, startled. The man grabbed the sword and pulled hard. Lei Fang's grip on the weapon caused her to be flung over head and landed on top of Tina.

"Keep the sword away from him? Well it was a good plan in my head." Bayman muttered.

"Keep Away? I thought you were warriors, not kindergartners." The man said, obviously annoyed. "I don't know what Donovan sees in the lot of you."

Bayman's blood iced when he heard the professor's name again.

"Oh well." The man unsheathed his blade. "Life goes on…for me at least."

He swung his blade once, slowly, and spaced his footing into a battle stance.

It was now or never. Bayman leveled his gun.

A shot rang out. A shot not from him.

A flash came from the man in blue. A bullet cleanly sliced in half lay at the man's feet.

Bayman looked behind him. He saw an arm sticking out off the shadows holding a pearlescent gun.

"I don't believe it." A voice said. "You come all this way, unleash your little goons, mess around with these shmucks, and you totally blow me off? Dick move, man."

Dante emerged from the doorway with a feral grin.

"Baby!" Tina squeaked as she helped Lei Fang up. "You're here!"

Dante did not reply. His focus was solely on the man in blue.

"Sorry, bro." The man in blue replied. "But I do have a life outside of you."

"I know." Dante said calmly. "Still, would it kill ya to say hello to your little brother?"

"Kill me? No." The man in blue said. "You on the other hand…"

Dante fired again.

-----

The Azure Flames encased Doku in an impenetrable shell. Ryu kept his guard up as he drew every breath his body could muster. The fight was dragging on and Ryu was running out of steam. Every time Ryu had a clean shot, Doku retreated inside his fiery dome. Ryu did not like what he was witnessing, but it appeared that his old and still hated enemy had not only gotten stronger, but wiser as well. Doku knew he could lose again, so he was no longer taking risky shots. To make matters worse, it appeared that the Azure Flame had healing properties. The wound to Doku's side seemed to have closed up.

This had become a battle of attrition. A battle Ryu had a disadvantage in. He was strong, but he was only human. He was taught to take his enemies down hard and fast. Sooner or later, fatigue would set in and would make him do something sloppy. To a ninja, sloppy was synonymous with death.

The fires died out and Doku stepped forward, his armor aglow.

"Another round, human?" Doku chuckled.

"I have to finish him off now." Ryu thought. "Or this place will be my grave."

Doku raised his blade. Flames engulfed the metal.

A strong wind suddenly rushed through. A figure appeared besides Ryu in an explosion of black feathers.

"Hayate?" Ryu said disbelievingly.

The wind ninja stood side by side with his old friend, arms crossed. "For shame, Ryu. Fighting Doku without me?"

Ryu caught the humor in his friend's voice. "Forgive me, Hayate, but I thought you'd be busy with your work, so I'd thought I'd present you with its head as a gift when we got home."

"You needn't worry; I have my sisters working on obtaining a runaway. So I thought I'd see how you were progressing. And as for such a generous offer, it would be impolite not to help you." Hayate unfolded his arms and took a battle stance.

"Do not concern yourself. I can handle this monster." Ryu responded.

"I was not asking." Hayate said, dropping the niceties. "I, too, have a score with Doku, and I will do more than 'settle' it."

Ryu shook his head, knowing that arguing was pointless. "If you wish."

"Ah, what a touching scene of friendship." Doku said mockingly. "Allow me to send you to hell together!"

The Dark Samurai sliced at the pair, unleashing a speeding ribbon of bluish fire.

The two scattered, just as the fire hit.

-----

"Target is locked." Jean said as he typed on his console.

"Bringing us in." Nicolas maneuvered the flying war machine with ease. Many pilots usually underestimate the _Griffon's_ maneuvering capabilities. Most large military aircraft are powerful, but far from graceful. The _Griffon_, on the other hand, was a ballerina in the skies. Private sector designers did not have to worry about budget constraints. Still, it took a steady hand to pilot the behemoths.

He positioned the gunship over the tower, nearly fifty meters above the tower's roof.

"Trajectory is set." Jean said into the mike. "Putting bombs into our own tower in front of all of France. This day went from bizarre to bat-shit-crazy."

"I know." Nicolas replied, running his thumb over the control stick, letting his mind wonder for a moment. "Drop 'em."

"Dropping." Jean pressed a button. "Hope it's not a nuke."

Nicolas did not reply.

The gunship heaved as it released the two cylinders, one after the other. They plummeted toward the tower, tumbling like dropped soda cans. They struck the roof and punctured their way in. A few seconds ticked by, than a full minute, nothing.

"Oh, for Christ's sake! Talk about anti-climatic." Jean laughed. "The big bad bombs the higher ups stuck us with were duds."

Again, Nicolas said nothing. His stomach was still a knot. No way would a big wig like Donovan assign something defective. There was something else going on.

-----

Christie strummed her fingers on her knee. Aside from sheer boredom, she had to say she was feeling pretty mellow. At first she was frustrated over getting her ass handed to her by Ryu and reducing herself to the role of nanny for another rich muckity-muck's bastard child. But when she realized that she had walked away from a fight with the dragon ninja, something not many did with all their extremities still attached, and that despite her new task, she was still getting paid, and she found it all quiet tolerable.

Still, once the day could be finally put behind her and she could punch out for the night, she was going to get a good pint of ale and get Dante under the covers for some extreme relaxation techniques.

Kokoro was sleeping, practically curled up like a kitty-cat. Cute, but she knew the girl was still hurting. She was a capable fighter, but she was years away from being able to walk away from a collapsing building with only some scrapes and cuts.

A noise came into her ears. Someone was opening the door. Christie whipped out her knife and pushed herself against the wall by the door, in the blind spot of whoever was coming in.

A blonde woman stepped inside, Helena, a tempting target and a very tempting situation. However, business first, play later.

"Lady Helena." Christie said after she put away the knife. "I was beginning to worry."

Christie felt some pride when the "high-bred" woman squeaked and whirled around, frightened. Apparently the days events were taking a toll on the normally ice cold woman.

"Damn it, Christie." Helena growled. "I have no time for your little jokes."

"Oh, believe me, Lady Helena," Christie said, laying on the syrupiness extra thick. "I'm not joking around right now."

The French woman narrowed her eyes for a moment before turning to her sister. She walked over and knelt down, feeling her forehead.

"How is Kokoro?" Helena asked.

"Better. She'll probably need to get checked up by a real doctor, but I'd say she's a tough little cookie." Christie leaned against the wall and crossed her arms.

"We need to move her." Helena stood back up and dusted her knees. "This place isn't safe."

"And when did you figure that out? When the helicopters started firing missiles? Or when the damn ninjas had your sister by the throat?"

"You were supposed to protect her!" Helena pointed an accusing finger. "You say you'll help me, but all you've been doing is having Dante take up your slack!"

"Dante is your muscle, your heavy hitter, as it were. My specialties are assassination, sabotage, and espionage. Not protection. Not pick up and delivery. And certainly not services of the anti-ninja variety." Christie fired back. "If I'm not living up to my expectations, it's because you aren't using me properly."

"How can I use someone I can't trust?"

"You don't trust anyone, princess." Christie tone changed from menacing to mocking. "And that's why you're all alone."

Helena, not having a collar to grab on to, snatched her by the rag the assassin considered a top and pulled her forward. "I'm all alone because of you." She put less than an inch between their faces.

An uncomfortable moment ticked by.

"Are we going to kiss, then?" Christie smiled.

With a disgusted grunt, Helena pushed the British woman away. "We need to move."

Christie watched with a smirk as the French opera star went back to her sister. Pushing her buttons was far too easy.

Her smug moment shattered when she felt the tower vibrate.

"Now what?" Christie groaned.

-----

Dante thrust his sword out as he raced toward his brother. Vergil flashed away from Dante's attack, half the hallway away. Just as soon as he appeared, he moved back in to attack, his actions a literal blur. Dante ducked under his brother's katana and retaliated with an upward swipe from his blade. Vergil spun away and answered with his own sword.

The two blades locked. Sizzling heat came from the point where the swords met.

"Man, this takes me back." Dante said. "Hell, I can't believe we ever got along."

"That's because deep inside us, brother, is the continued ferocity of our heritage." Vergil said with his cold look. "Demon and human. These two will always fight one another. And that's what makes us fight."

"Nah. I just like kicking your sorry ass!" Dante pushed Vergil away.

Vergil backed off, assumed a stance, a low posture, his sword behind him and his hand on the hilt. Dante knew what was coming next.

A sphere appeared where Dante once stood. A vortex caused by Vergil's super-human speed and swordsmanship. Dante had rolled aside before the attack hit.

"C'mon, man, that old shtick?" Dante grinned. "Gotta learn some new tricks if ya wanna keep up with me."

"I did," was Vergil's cold reply.

The sphere detonated in a shower of violet energy and knocked Dante off his feet.

The devil hunter was back on form in a second, his sword ready. He switched the handling on his hilt, holding the blade reverse style. He slashed his sword, unleashing a demonic energy shockwave, a rushing bolt of crimson power. Vergil held his ground, standing tall with a bored look on his face. He vanished just before the attack hit.

Far from done, Dante unleashed three more shockwaves in rapid succession. Again, Vergil avoided the attacks with ease. Each one of his speed jumps put him closer to Dante. The crimson clad man finished his barrage by slicing his sword horizontally, unleashing a wave that traveled through the air. The attack caught Vergil off guard and the wave struck him. Flung like a feather caught in a strong gust, Vergil flew back and bounced on the polished floor before he righted himself and returned to his feet.

"It appears you've been doing more than sitting on your ass while I've been away." Vergil said blandly, like it did not matter.

"I wish. Hell, I have all sorts of new shit I've been dyin' to try out on your ass." Dante slung his sword across his shoulders and beckoned his brother with his hand. "So bring it."

Vergil vanished in a blur. He reappeared behind Dante, back to back. He thrust Yamato behind him, aiming for Dante's heart. The red clad man spun away, the sword cutting into his coat. He completed his spin while holding out Rebellion. Vergil ducked under the blade. He retaliated with his katana. Dante parried.

They spun away from each other. Dante whipped out Ivory and fired. Vergil sliced the bullet in two. Dante let Rebellion fall from his grasp and brought up his shotgun. The gun roared as it sent a 12-gauge round in Vergil's direction.

The eldest of Sparda's children took the shot and stumbled back. Before Dante could pull off another shot, Vergil suddenly shot forward.

"Die." Vergil said as he unleashed a tempest of sword slashes that could rip apart tank.

Dante, tossed aside by the attack, returned promptly to his feet, crouched low to the ground, and a hand on the floor.

The shotgun lay in several pieces at Vergil's feet. He had sliced it like a roast.

"Damn. And here I thought I should start goin' easy on ya." Dante smirked.

"I was about to say the exact same thing." Vergil said with the driest of humor. He padded at the hole the shotgun had torn into his blazer.

The room suddenly shook. At first Dante thought it was another attack until he saw the same curiosity in his brother's eyes. Vergil might mask himself to the world, but he knew his twin brother inside and out.

A dark feeling jolted down his spine. Something big just came in.

-----

Shadows flickered as the fires sucked in the air and spread through the interior of the tower. Two of the shadows jumped from the blackness and danced across the room. Kasumi and Ayane bounded through the tower, crossing hallways and rooms in mere seconds. Ayane lead the way with Kasumi nipping at her heels.

"Hurry up." Ayane called out. "We have to find that French bitch before DOATEC gets a hold of her. Otherwise we'll never see her again."

"I know." Kasumi said. Her voice had grown low and lacking its usual passion. "I know."

Ayane did not ask what was wrong. She knew what bothered her big sister. She just did not care at that moment. They were on a mission.

The two searched fourteen floors and no trace of Helena. Either she used a secret elevator they did not know about, or someone was helping her escape. Neither choice was promising.

However, they were given orders by Master Hayate and she would follow them regardless of the difficulty.

The two came upon a corner when the tower shook. The sisters stopped or risked loosing their balance. The sounds of breaking metal and crashing debris filled their ears.

"What was that?" Kasumi asked. "Did DOATEC strike again?"

"Don't know." Ayane answered without sarcasm. "Whatever it was, it didn't sound like an explosion." Ayane looked up. "It's right above us."

"We should see what it is." Kasumi said.

Ayane almost rejected Kasumi's idea. They were looking for Helena, not checking for attacks. But so far their search was proving quite pointless. Who knows, maybe this might lead them to the DOATEC corporate president.

"Ok." Ayane muttered and took off again.

The kunoichis whisked through the corridors and arrived on the floor above without trouble. They came to the source of the commotion, two cylinders cocooned in metal wrappings. Ayane looked up and saw a jagged tunnel gouged into the tower leading all the way to the night sky. The two cylinders were covered in debris.

"Are these bombs?" Kasumi asked.

"If they are, they must be duds." Ayane replied. "Or just haven't detonated yet. Either way, we should get out of here."

"Are they that desperate to kill us?" Kasumi said. "Are they willing to destroy their own building and people to get to us?"

"You obviously haven't been paying much attention to DOATEC." Ayane snidely commented. "They'll kill a hundred innocents to get one of us. They're lower than a snake's balls."

Ayane looked at the cylinders closely. Their design was unlike any explosive ordinance she had ever seen. They were also a bit to large for the bombs necessary to destroy one building, even a skyscraper. Plus using two was more than overkill. The cylinders had markings in English.

"Beta One" Ayane whispered to herself in confusion. She looked at the other. "And Beta Two."

A sharp sound suddenly sprang from the two cylinders, causing both kunoichi's to jump back. Metal groaned and internal mechanisms chirped and whirred as they slowly came online.

The two approached cautiously.

The cylinders cracked open. The outside shells were composed of interlocking metal slabs that spread apart like a monstrous mouth opening up to devour someone. A fluorescent blue liquid splashed out and oozed around the cylinders. Ayane took a step back before the ooze touched her shoes.

A hiss-like moan came from one of the cylinders. A low growl, like a tiger's, came from the other. A thin, glowing, blue hand emerged from the closest cylinder. Energy crackled around it.

"Oh this can't be good." Ayane muttered.

"No." Kasumi said in awe. "It can't be."

The being arose from the tube like a vampire levitating out of its coffin. It had a feminine shape, curvy, petite, and elegant. Its flowing hair trailed it as it rose to its feet. Its body was human in form only. Its entire structure was bluish semi-transparent…stuff. It looked like gelatinous goo, bizarre toothpaste, which was held together by some unseen force. The thing had no face, no eyes, no mouth, no clothes, just a form. Like a simple child's doll that had not yet been painted.

The lack of features did not stop Ayane from recognizing what the thing was modeled after.

"Kasumi." Ayane said. "That thing looks like…you."

"Impossible." Kasumi said with horror and anger. "Impossible. I destroyed it. Did he make another?"

"I'm guessing you know what this thing is?" Ayane asked.

"Yes." Kasumi replied. "This…thing is a clone. Only warped into something inhuman. A product of Donovan."

"Him again?" Ayane shook her head. "That man is into some sick things."

"I defeated this thing before. At the Tri-tower." Kasumi said confidently. "I can do it again."

"You mean _we_can do it." Ayane smirked. "No offense, but the quicker we kill it, the quicker we get back to our job."

Kasumi hesitated a moment before returning the smirk and nodding.

The kunoichis' determination wavered when a second body emerged from the other cylinder. It was slightly smaller than the first, both in stature and curves. Like the other, it was built from some sort of glowing transparent material, except the color was violet. Its hair stopped by its ears. Again, there were no facial features or clothes, but Ayane also recognized the form.

Her stomach dropped. "Is…is that…me?"

The form crouched low to the ground and crawled like a predator cat, growling. It came besides the Kasumi clone that floated like a figure suspended in water.

Ayane felt like vomiting. A clone? Of her? She felt so…violated, like she had been raped.

"You feel bad, don't you?"

Ayane looked at her older sister.

"Seeing something like that. In your image." Kasumi said, staring at the two creatures. "It disgusts you, doesn't it?"

Ayane did not say anything. She shifted her gaze from the clones than back to Kasumi.

"I know how you feel. And trust me when I say this." Kasumi turned to her sister with a cold expression. "You'll feel much better once you destroy them."

Ayane's face sported a smirk.

The clones struck.

-----

"I don't like this!" Tina yelled as she tried to keep up with the group as they pounded down the stairs. "I don't like it one bit."

"Can't you think of something else to say?" Lei Fang called back. Jann Lee once again required her assistance to walk, despite his protests.

"We can't leave 'im back there with that sword swingin' psycho." Tina complained. "He's gonna need our help."

"And just what are we going to help him with? Bleeding?" Bayman said through clenched teeth. He grasped the bloodstained bandage in his arm. "We're in no shape to help fight."

"Agreed." Leon said from his point position. "Besides, we barely made it out of there alive. We already have wounded. We used up most of our energy in earlier battles _before_ that man tossed us around like children's toys. The odds were not in our favor."

"In short, we would only be in th' way." Bass mumbled.

"I don't pick fights heedlessly." Leon said. "That's the type of thinking that gets you killed."

"Y'all can run away all ya want, I ain't gonna leave my man t' fight alone." Tina pulled a 180 and tried to go back up the stairs only to have her large father block her path. "Outta th' way, daddy."

"Ain't happenin', sweetie." Bass said with Hitomi riding piggyback style. "We need t' hit th' dusty trail."

"Dammint, daddy!" Tina lost some of her anger, replacing it with fear. "I can't abandon 'im! I can't!"

"He'll be fine. He's a big boy." Bass said softly. "He fought that guy so we could slip away."

"But I…" Tina trailed off.

"I know, baby. I know." Bass said. "Just keep movin'."

Tina bit her lip, cast her eyes down, turned, and caught up with the others.

Bass kept up with his daughter.

"Dammit, ya white-haired bastard, ya better survive," Bass thought. "Don't make me a liar t' my lil' girl."

-----

Doku's rage seemed to be linked to the Azure Flame. At least, that was the hypothesis Ryu held, as the former fiend's fire had suddenly increased in intensity with the addition of his best friend, Hayate, into the brawl. That, or Doku had grown desperate, unleashing all it had stored up in order to flash fry the two ninjas quickly before defeat held it in its cold, merciless grasp.

Either one was just fine with Ryu. It meant that Doku no longer had his calm and that fact gave the two a much needed advantage.

The Mugen Tenshin Clan leader attacked from above as part of a two pronged move. Hayate's sword bounced off Doku's blade, but Ryu's katana found its mark and tore into the demon's body between its armor. Doku whirled around and slashed at the dragon ninja who had fled from the demon's range. With its attention refocused, Hayate capitalized on his opportunity and struck the demon causing it to lose its footing. Ryu and Hayate flew by Doku and sliced into it as they crossed each other in mid air.

Ryu could have taken down Doku himself. A laborious and timely endeavor, but definitely possible. But with Hayate at his side, the demon had no chance, Azure Flame or not.

The demon roared in frustration and anger. It created a fiery sphere to regenerate itself.

Hayate and Ryu answered with a cooperative attack they had concocted together many years ago. Ryu channeled his Lightning Ninpo into the palms of his hands, causing strands of electricity to form around him like a psychedelic lightning storm. Hayate concentrated his Wind Ninpo into a single point. Violent winds formed around him, turning him into a literal eye of the storm.

Once fully charged, the two friends thrust out their hands at the same time. The balls of wind and lightning merged, grew, and crackled with power as it raced toward the demon. The combined attack punched through the Azure Flame like a bullet through a glass window. The fires died out when the attack struck Doku. The demon stumbled back and roared in pain and surprise.

"No!" Doku bellowed. "I will not be defeated by two humans!"

Doku brought out the Azure Flame, encased its sword with the unholy power, and threw the blade, turning it into a fire covered boomerang.

Ryu and Hayate dodged the attack, but the heat from the blade singed their clothes.

Just as the blade returned to its hand, the ninjas moved in to strike. Doku created a wall of flames to separate the demon from its aggressors.

Prepared to defend himself, Doku willed the fire away. The Azure Flames returned to nothingness, revealing an empty room.

"What?" Doku growled and twisted its head around. "Where…?"

The question died in its helmet when a blade suddenly sprouted from the demon's side. Ryu stood beside the demon, poised to move, his hand on the hilt of the sword now buried into Doku's body.

"You…!" Doku raised Kitetsu to strike.

Again, a blade interrupted the demon, this one from its other side. Hayate stood in a similar position as Ryu with his hands firmly on his sword's hilt.

"Die!" Doku roared as it generated the Azure Flame.

In one fluid movement, in one act, it was over. Ryu and Hayate moved like it was part of a choreographed dance. They stood, twisted away, and dived as they sliced Doku in half across his waist.

The torso crashed to the ground, the Azure Flame pouring out like blood. The Kitetsu clattered away from its master's grasp. The demon's legs were consumed by the Azure Flame and burned away into ash.

Ryu whipped the Dragon Blade once to dislodge the blood and returned it to the sheath on his back. Although Doku had not true 'blood', the act was programmed into Ryu's psyche when handling a sword.

A noise came from Doku, faint, strained, and dying. At first Ryu thought it was a death rattle, air escaping the lungs as a person died. When Ryu realized that Doku had no lungs, he listened closely. It sounded like…a chuckle.

"Fools…you've think…you won?"

"No." Ryu replied as he came closer. "I know we've won."

More chuckles. The Azure Flame began to slowly eat away at the demon's armor. "You may have…defeated me…but my master…is infinitely your greater…he has conquered all…that stood before him. You…will be…no different."

"We have taken on opponents who have boasted the same things." Hayate said as he came forward, his sword still in hand. "They fell just like you have."

"Your words…are hollow to me…human. I have…seen things…during my time…in the underworld. Things that would…turn you into…sobering children." Doku choked for a moment before continuing. "My master has fought…these things…killed them…broke them."

"From what I understand." Ryu said. "Someone broke him before. Care to take a guess who?"

"Times have…changed." Doku muttered. "And power can…change hands…so quickly. Dante…cannot save you. Nothing can."

"Save us from what?" Hayate asked. "What is it Donovan has planned?"

More laughter. "You think…that bug…is in charge? He is…but a tool…for my master. Not even he…will be spared…from the coming flood."

"Flood?" Hayate asked. "What flood? What is your master planning?"

"I…am Doku." The demon raised a trembling hand into the air that became a fist. "Lord of the Damned Shogunate. Bearer of the Azure Flame. General to the eldest son of Sparda. I…"

Hayate cut the demon off by jamming his blade into Doku's helmet.

The Azure Flame exploded from Doku's form, filling the room with its unnatural blaze. Then the blaze was sucked back into the shell of the demon like someone hit rewind. The shell fell apart. The blue fire that gave Doku life was gone. Hayate pulled his sword free.

"Are you sure that was necessary?" Ryu asked. "He could have told us more. You know how dying megalomaniacs like to spout off like that."

"True." Hayate returned the sword to its sheath. "But I also know that when they start the egotistical title calling that they're wrapping it up and I don't have time to humor him."

Ryu looked around, taking in the damage the two had done. The area was practically hollowed out aside from the thick support beams that looked far from pristine. The walls, ceiling, and floor had melted into a single, distorted surface. He also noticed the absence of a certain someone.

"Dante's gone." Ryu said. "Knowing him he probably got bored and left."

"Dante lacks discipline." Hayate said with venom. "And honor."

"I find his lack of focus disheartening as well." Ryu said. "But to be honest, I don't see him as 'villain' material."

"Nor do I." Hayate sighed. "But that does not change the fact that he works for Helena."

"So," Ryu said. "What now?"

Hayate turned on his heel. "We hunt."

As the two ninjas departed, neither one noticed the crackling embers of the Azure Flame as it attempted to re-ignite.

-----

"Back!" A policeman said, waving the crowd to backup. "Keep back! Behind the tape, sir!"

The crowd was on pins and needles. Nearly everyone had a device out that could capture the moment forever in digital form. New orders had just come in from dispatch, things were getting way too hot and the crowd had to go, now. The policeman shot a look back. DOATEC soldiers were moving about, talking with each other, going over maps on the hoods of cars, and checking their equipment. Every one of them moved like they had a purpose and the policeman could tell that every one of them was edgy.

He did not know all the details, but from the sound of things, DOATEC might not have the situation in hand as they liked everyone to believe. He also suspected that there was some push from DOATEC on the crowd control order.

"Evacuate the area in an orderly fashion." The policeman said robotically. "This area has been declared off limits to the general public."

"Bullshit!" Someone from the crowd called out. "We have a right to be here!"

"In case you haven't noticed," The policeman yelled out. "Debris has been falling off the building. Do you wanna leave or get crushed?"

They were indigent at first, but the threat of being crushed by parts of a skyscraper seemed to put enough fear into them to comply. They slowly moved back, although moving a packed crowd was as easy as it sounded.

He heard gasps and horror stricken awes from the crowd. He looked up at the tower when he saw where the majority of the finger pointing indicated. It looked like something had fallen off the tower and was plummeting to the streets below.

Three things struck his senses simultaneously, but the cognitive functions for his brain had to sputter for a moment as he processed what his eyes saw.

First: Whatever it was that fell, it came from smashing through one of the many windows that made up the tower's side. He could not tell which window it fell from, but he could see the sparkling glass as it reflected the spotlights that trailed the fall. Two: It was not just one thing that fell from the tower, but two. As his eyes trailed the objects he could see the unmistakable forms of humans. The policeman had heard of times when people who are faced with a fiery death high up in a skyscraper would choose to jump rather than burn alive. Amazement had muscled out horror in his head when he saw flashes and sparks dancing across the glass windows that blew out when the two passed them as they fell adding to the broken glass.

The two landed on one of the armored vehicles, crushing it like a boot on an empty shoe box. The glass came down as a razor sharp rain. Soldiers dove for cover and the crowd leaped back.

A man rose from the wreckage. He wore red and had a large sword in his hand. A second man punched his way through solid metal to get out of the destroyed vehicle. He wore blue and had a smaller sword in his hand.

A preposterous thought crossed the policeman's mind. The two were exchanging sword blows as they fell.

"First floor." The man in red crowed. "Power tools, food court, and my foot up your ass!"

The man swung his blade at the man in blue.


	33. sibling rivalry

A/N: Holy crap on a cracker, things went from bad to worse in my world. No sooner am I getting through my soul searching when a family problem hits, a big problem. My folks are working on it and tell me not to worry, but, well, this is something that will change a lot. I know I take my time with these fics but this recent stuff put a real monkey wrench into it. Well, it's not all doom and gloom, my summer's working out pretty well. Anyways, enough bawling, on with the fics!

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: DMC owned by Capcom. DOA and NG owned by Team Ninja and Tecmo.

**Dead or Alive 4: The Devil Factor**

**Chapter 33: Sibling Rivalry**

_DOATEC Tower_

_France_

_Thursday-2:49 a.m._

Ayane had fought many different things in the past, but she never fought herself. Her clone was some translucent glob shaped like a woman, hardly an identical twin, yet it knew the original well. It knew every technique, every move, every strike that Ayane had done. However, the thing did not act like her. Its form and style were far different. Its attack style mimicked that of a predatory feline…or some sleazy stripper.

Ayane had to continually fight down the sheer embarrassment of seeing a copy of herself slinking around like in some teenage boy's sex fantasy.

The clone growled and pounced at Ayane. The purple haired ninja danced aside when the clone shot past her with a whirlwind kick. Ayane slipped under the leg and kicked high at the creature's chin. The thing bent away from her leg, twisted about like an eerie ballerina, planted its hands on the floor, and spun its legs around again, this time catching Ayane in the gut.

The kunoichi fell on her bum but righted herself with a back flip. The thing was on her before she could get her center of balance. It grabbed her by the shoulders, slipped over her, and threw her, all in an instant.

Whilst in midair Ayane contemplated that perhaps fighting the thing like it was a copy of herself was not the best of moves as the clone obviously had a few tweaks done to it.

Ayane landed gracefully on her feet and brutally slammed her palm into the clone's face when it tried to rush her. Normally the attack would have been a killing strike. Bones in the nasal part of the skull would have been jabbed into its brain. That is, if it had a nose. Did it even have a brain?

The thing pirouetted back but snapped a kick as it did. Ayane twisted away with an upwards scissor kick that sent the thing tumbling. Before she landed on her feet, the purple-haired teen unleashed a storm of kunai that easily punctured the skin of the clone.

The thing bounced off the floor and came to a dead halt with over a dozen sharp instruments sticking out of it like the thing had visited a murderous acupuncturist.

Ayane's feeling of triumph was short lived as the thing returned to its feet with ease. What sounded like sizzling bacon filled her ears as jets of steam spewed out of the newly formed holes in the thing. The kunai fell and clacked against the floor, the tips melted clean off.

"This…could be tricky." Ayane muttered.

The fight was briefly postponed when Kasumi and her clone cut through the space between Ayane and her clone. Kasumi was on the offensive, striking with her sword. The clone managed to keep from being bisected, but it was forced to be defensive in order to keep up.

Kasumi pushed on with a slice to the clone's stomach. The blade whizzed through air, the clone vanished and reappeared behind Kasumi with a knee to her back. The two fighters blew past Ayane and Beta-2 as they continued their bout.

Ayane and her clone stared at each other.

"Sisters." Ayane shrugged. "Always getting in the way of things."

The clone stayed silent.

"Why I'm cracking jokes at a doll like you escapes me." The kunoichi muttered.

The crowd was memorized by what they saw. It was like something out of a high-budget, CGI-infused, believability-shattering, fantasy action movie come to life on the streets of Paris. Two white haired men were fighting each other with swords. Not in the fancy fencing or samurai style popularized by Hollywood, these men were swinging their blades around with a combination of master swordsmanship and reckless abandon.

Dante slammed Rebellion into Yamato. Vergil sliced away the force of the attack and brought his blade around to Dante's chest. The man in red spun around the cold demonic steel and thrust Rebellion at Vergil's gut. The sword pierced the air like a viper, but missed its mark. Vergil had jumped and planted his foot on his brother's sword and the other foot on his brother's face. Before Dante could fall, Vergil appeared behind him with a sword slash, knocking the man forward into a black SUV with flashing police lights in the grill.

Two men in tactical gear with sub-machine guns ran up to Vergil. The eldest of the sons of Sparda returned his katana to its sheath.

"Drop your weapon!" The first one shouted in French.

"Hands in the air!" The second bellowed.

A flash of light came. The two men fell with their heads bouncing on the concrete. No one saw the man in blue use his sword. No one even saw him move.

A man on top of an armored personal carrier brought around the mounted 50. caliber gun to Vergil and opened fire. Vergil assumed a stance with his hand on the handle. The gun roared uselessly as brilliant flashes formed around Vergil who sliced away the bullets. The trick lasted a mere few seconds when a silvery crescent moon shaped light rocketed out from Vergil and neatly cut the APC down the middle. The gun died and nothing happened for a moment until the vehicle suddenly collapsed and exploded.

Dante cursed and ripped himself from the SUV's frame. A man wearing a ballistic mask jumped out and jabbed his shotgun into Dante's face.

"Don't move!" He yelled in English.

The man squawked when Dante smacked the gun away and growled, "Easy, dickwad, I'm on your side."

The man watched dumbfounded when Dante raced back into the fight.

Dante shot out, sliding across the ground like a rollerblader with a V-5 rocket strapped to his back, and thrust his sword at his brother. The Stinger attack Dante called it.

Vergil jumped away, higher than least time, twisted elegantly in the air, and landed on top of an armored van.

"Why do you keep fighting me, Dante?" Vergil stood tall with his sword in its sheath. "Why fight what's in you? Why do you grasp your humanity like its some sort of childish security blanket?"

Dante returned Rebellion to his back and turned to his brother.

"These…people," Vergil motioned to the crowd of onlookers who continued to fallback and close in with the ferocity of the battle. His brother's normally cold tone had a hint of distain. "All they do is hate and lie. Consume and destroy. Flaunt about their perceived superiority and embrace their depravity."

"You talkin' about humans or demons?" Dante answered back with open arms and a smirk. "Cause I can't tell the difference." Dante then jabbed an accusing finger. "Besides you gotta a lotta nerve sayin' that when yer in cahoots with yet another human."

"Arkham was a means to an end, the same with Donovan." Vergil said calmly.

"Oh, really? And just what 'end' is it you're aimin' for this time?" Dante placed his hands on his hips. "Open another portal? Resurrect some demon-god-king-dude? Wait I got it! You wanna open up your own amusement park!"

"Actually my current goal came to me after I thought about what you said to me all those years ago when I tried to retrieve father's sword." Vergil replied. "You told me that no matter how hard I tried, I would never be like father. And you were right."

Dante arched an eyebrow. Vergil thought _he_ was right?

"I was so desperate to obtain father's power that I neglected to think about my own." Vergil brought a hand up to study it. "You defeated me because I placed my faith in someone else's power, not my own." Vergil squeezed his hand into a fist. "I now have faith in myself and nothing else."

"Oh, for Christ…" Dante rolled his eyes. "You're not gonna go off on one of those 'I discovered myself' speeches, are ya? 'Cause I'm gonna save ya the time and trouble by saying that I don't particularly give a flying fuck." Dante pointed his sword at his brother. "Besides, if you're all about believing in only yourself, than what's with the demon flunkies and corporate goons?"

"Every king needs an army." Vergil said like it was common sense. "The demons under my command are some of the strongest I encountered. As for the Donovan, well, I followed the course of the history of the human power system. From tribes came villages. From villages came cities. Cities became kingdoms. Kingdoms became countries. And now, there are corporations. And DOATEC is the mightiest."

"Sounds to me like yer a bit hypocritical." Dante smirked. "Preachin' about how you need only yourself and at the same time flauntin' about how you got an 'army' at yer beckon call."

"I don't expect someone like you to understand, little brother." Vergil replied. "After all, you seem so content on just lying about and letting someone else decide your fate."

"I'm not lettin' anyone decide anythin' about my fate." Dante snarled. "I just don't care about all this controlling the world bullshit."

"And that, Dante." Vergil coldly warned. "Is why you're so pitiful."

Glowing cyan energy crackled around Vergil, like ink swirling in water. The energy condensed and formed dozens of straight-edged swords. The swords paired up and clanged against each other twice, like swordsman parrying blades. Then, in unison, the energy swords pointed at Dante.

Dante smirked. "Again, bro, that's old hat."

The blades shoot out like bullets. Dante ducked, rolled, and weaved out of their paths. Each blade that missed punctured the street, cars, and DOATEC guards unfortunate enough to get in its path. The blades then detonated like grenades, shredding anything or any poor soul it had struck.

Two blades were almost upon the red wearing demon hunter. Dante whipped out his pistols and shattered the otherworldly swords before they struck.

"Close." Dante blew on the smoking barrels, spun the guns around, and leveled them at his brother. "But close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades."

Vergil reached for his blade. Suddenly, blue flames erupted around Vergil, engulfing him. Vergil did not panic or even startled, in fact, to Dante, he looked perplexed. Of course, that was added to the fact that despite being in the center of a raging inferno, Vergil was unharmed.

"Master." A voice growled.

The flames condensed and formed a floating torso, head, and arms, each disconnected from each other. The floating ghost thing resembled a certain demon samurai.

"Doku." Vergil said.

"Hey, demon-who-thinks-he's-pretty-fly-for-a-samurai." Dante joked. "Go haunt someone else, yer interruptin' our brotherly bondin' time."

"Master." Doku utterly ignored Dante. "I have failed you. I dare not ask for your forgiveness, but I do humbly ask that you allow me to continue to serve you."

The specter of the fallen demon became formless flames again and hovered closer to Vergil. "Take my power and use it to strike down your enemies."

The elder son of Sparda reached out and grasped the flames. A flash of brilliant azure flooded the area, causing everyone but Dante and Vergil to shield their eyes. When the light died out, Dante could see a new sword in Vergil's hand. At first Dante thought maybe it was the Yamato, but he saw some key differences. This new sword was in a black scabbard without a ribbon, unlike the Yamato. Blue flames were artistically etched into the scabbard and the handle had the color of volcanic dust.

Vergil placed the new blade on the opposite side of his hip that his keepsake sword took. The man in blue placed his hands on both handles. He drew Yamato from its scabbard. Its blade gleamed from the lights surrounding them. When he drew his new blade, it reminded Dante of someone striking a match. As soon the virgin metal inside was exposed to the cool night air, blue flames surrounded the blade. Once fully drawn, Vergil held his weapons apart; similar to a stance a samurai did in a film Dante saw.

"Aw, you got a new toy." Dante said in a mocking childish tone. "Well, let me show ya mine!"

Bloody electric currents ran through Dante's body as the Apophis gauntlets and grieves formed on Dante's arms and legs.

"So, where were we?" Dante smirked.

Kasumi lashed out with her wakizashi. Her blade missed the gelatinous flesh of the Beta-1. The clone whipped its upper half forward, slamming into Kasumi and swooped down to deliver a head butt to Kasumi's torso.

The clone's attacks could resemble a variety of animals. Sometimes it was like a hawk diving in to take its prey. Other times it was like a shark, gracefully slicing through the water to strike. And then it was like a feral chimp, raining blows upon its aggressor.

A few months ago, when Kasumi first encountered her super-clone, she was mesmerized by its attacks. Now, however, she had adapted to it and was more than prepared for a second round.

Kasumi sprang to her feet before Beta-1's heel came down on the area that her head once occupied. The clone pursued her, performing windmill kicks at the speed of a jet turbine. Kasumi exploded into a single burst of Sakura pedals. She appeared behind the clone and shoved her blade into its back. Before she could slide the sword out, the clone violently whirled around. With her hand firmly on the blade, Kasumi was taken off her feet and slammed against a wall.

Ignoring the pain, she noticed that her hands no longer held her blade. The weapon was still lodged in her enemy.

She cursed herself for her clumsiness and raced back into the fight.

Kasumi jabbed her hand at Beta-1's head. The clone twisted out of the way. Kasumi pressed on with her assault and unleashed more of her ninjutsu techniques. She ended her combo with a flip kick. The clone vanished before her heels could hit their mark, its teleportation ability. It reappeared behind Kasumi, latched on her back like a playful little sister, and poured pure electricity into her body.

It kicked off Kasumi's body, sending her face first into the highly polished floor. The clone hung in the air, ignoring the laws of gravity.

Kasumi swallowed the bitter lump in her throat and pushed herself up. It looked like the sword did not seem to phase the clone. Its movements were not hampered by the protruding weapon.

Speaking of which, it appeared that this new clone was more than a copy of Alpha-152, it had been upgraded. Most likely Donovan analyzed Kasumi's, and possibly everyone else in the tournaments, most recent fighting styles and programmed them into the clones.

No matter, she had evolved herself since the last bouts.

The clone glided across the room and spun with an outstretched arm, slicing the air like a sword. Kasumi flowed around the attack, meeting brute force with formless balance. She pulled her wakizashi out and slashed at Beta-1.

A translucent arm sailed through the air and flopped to the ground.

Gripping the blade firmly, the kunoichi of fate felt her spirits rise. Victory would be hers again.

She noticed something from the corner of her eye. The arm had dissolved into a blue liquid. The liquid flowed toward the clone like water running down the side of a house. The fluid merged with the clone's foot. From the stub, a new arm jutted out. The clone flexed the arm and hand for a moment. Satisfied, it returned its attention to Kasumi.

"Well that's…new." Kasumi said in awe.

Her ears picked up the unmistakable sound of her little sister screaming. The screaming was quickly getting closer. Kasumi turned and snagged Ayane's hand just as the cursing kunoichi barreled past her like a piece of paper caught in a strong gale. Using up the energy behind Ayane's uncontrolled flight, Kasumi swung the violet haired girl around once and set her on her feet.

"Nice catch." Ayane panted.

"Just like in practice." Kasumi smiled. "Always have your partner's back."

Ayane gave her big sister a bemused look.

Beta-2 landed on all fours next to Beta-1. The twin bio-weapons did not press on. Instead they stood their ground, waiting for their target's next move.

"These…things." Ayane spat on the ground. "They're a major pain in the ass."

"They're stronger than the thing I fought at the DOATEC tower." Kasumi replied, keeping her eyes on the clones. "The weaknesses it once had are now gone."

"Does that mean you want to raise the white flag?" Ayane smirked.

"Of course not." Kasumi smiled herself. "It's just that we'll have to step up our game."

The two kunoichis nodded at each other and charged the clones. Blue and purple spheres of pulsing energy formed in the palms of Beta-1 and Beta-2. Ayane produced shuriken and held them ready between her fingers. Kasumi drew her blade. The clones unleashed twin beams of pure destructive power.

Dante put a death grip on a nearby SUV and tossed it at his brother like the entire thing was an inflatable toy. Vergil sliced the vehicle neatly in fours. The four parts split apart and sped past Vergil with just enough room for his body. The car then detonated when the fires from the Doku blade reached the full gas tank.

Dante closed the gap between them and lashed out with a straight. Red electricity crackled around the gauntlet when it struck the bluish fires of the Doku. Dante brought up his left arm to block the Yamato as it came down. The red wearing mercenary pulled back a little, keeping both of Vergil's blades locked, and snapped a high kick to the elder brother's chin. The Crimson Lightning stunned Vergil for a few seconds, letting Dante get three more hits in before ending his combo with a rising punch that sent both brothers into the air.

With both fists, Dante brought down a hammer drop on Vergil's head, sending him crashing onto the pavement, making a shallow crater and sending out deep cracks. Dante landed with a fist into the ground, creating a bloody red blast wave that tail spun Vergil into a news van.

Without missing a beat, Dante launched forward and put his fist into the side of the van, missing Vergil by a millisecond. Vergil had crouched in evasion and slashed his swords in an X motion, tearing into his younger brother.

The wounds had healed by the time the blades left Dante's body, but the attack caused the devil hunter to stagger. Vergil swung his swords with the ferocity of a Viking and with the precision of a master surgeon. Each strike dug into flesh and leather. Vergil crossed his arms and slashed both his blades horizontally, knocking Dante back. Dante caught his fall and flipped to his feet.

Vergil was gone. Dante whipped his head around, trying to locate his brother. The blue-wearing half-demon appeared suddenly behind his brother, sliding across the ground and slashing at Dante's back. Once the attack hit, Vergil disappeared and reappeared in front of his brother, again performing a slide and slash. After Vergil vanished for a third time, he materialized above the dazed Dante and came down like a hammer on a nail, jamming the tips of the blades into his back. The Azure Flame engulfed Dante's body.

"Hmmm." Vergil pulled out the Doku but left in Yamato to pin Dante to the ground. He held the blade up to eye level. Blue flames smoldered on the metal. "Not bad."

Vergil cast his eyes down to his defeated brother. He almost said a scathing remark when he noticed that one of Dante's arms was missing. Five shots ripped out of Dante's coat and struck Vergil in the chest. His little brother had snuck an arm into his coat and used one of his handguns. Clever.

Vergil stepped back, taking Yamato with him. He clutched his chest as he felt his demonic healing push the hot lead out of his body. Five blood-stained bullets plopped out of the holes they created and pinged on the street. The eldest son of Sparda's strength returned and pain subsided just as Dante jumped to his feet.

"Wow, now I know how a chicken feels at KFC." Dante padded at some of the embers on his coat that still glowed. Ivory dangled at his side. "Out of curiosity, was your sword set on medium or well-done?"

Vergil snapped his swords in a move designed to remove excess blood and returned the weapons to their sheaths. "Congratulations, you can take a beating well." Vergil said with a hint of sarcastic inflection. "Are you planning to add 'Universal Punching Bag' to your list of titles?"

Dante answered with a volley of bullets from his twin handguns. Vergil sliced the lead pieces away. Dante ceased firing and clacked his gun barrels together. Crimson demonic energy enclosed the guns, building up until they almost consumed the metal. Dante pulled the triggers to unleash a short burst of demonic amplified rounds. A protective barrier surrounded Vergil, a sphere that had a tinge of violet. The bullets struck the sphere and detonated like large-scale fireworks.

When the barrier fell, Dante rocketed in with a Devil Arm fist in his brother's face. Vergil stumbled back, yet somehow disappeared when the devil hunter tried to continue on with his attack.

Vergil appeared several feet away, his face still set on stone cold. He had both swords drawn and slashed them at Dante with Yamato after the Doku. A wall of Azure Flame raced at Dante, swept him off his feet, and drove him into the armored van Vergil stood on not three minutes ago. The force of the blast had sent Dante through the side of the car.

"Ow." Dante groaned and pushed the busted assault rifles and metal ammunition boxes off him as he sat up. Some of the boxes had busted open, flooding the interior with loose bullets.

His fingers touched something when he tried to stand. At first he thought it was the handle to one of the rifles until he looked down and saw the unmistakable sight of a single shot grenade launcher.

"Score." Dante sported a toothy grin and snatched the weapon up. He pocketed a few loose grenade rounds and leapt out of the van.

"Surprise, asshole!" Dante yelled and fired.

Vergil dodged the shot, but not the blast that knocked him on his back.

Dante thumbed the release switch that cracked open the gun. He dug into his pocket for another round while he jerked the gun against his shoulder, dislodging the spent shell. He fed the round into the chamber, snapped the gun up to close it and took aim again.

Vergil, back on form, prepared to defend.

Dante fired the launcher one handed. Knowing that Vergil would not fall for the same trick twice, he had brought up Ebony and fired a shot that struck the grenade in mid-air. The premature explosion caught Vergil off-guard.

Vergil had moved out of the way, but got singed.

"Now this is a boom stick." Dante said, resting the smoking launcher on his shoulder. "Ya ready to run up the white flag or do I have to keep bustin' ya up in front of all these people?"

"Dante, you should know by now," Vergil dusted off his coat, "that it takes more than a few shots from you to beat me."

"I was hopin' you'd say that." Dante smirked and reloaded the launcher.

Vergil was on him in an instant and brought his swords down on Dante's head.

Kasumi's blade missed her clone's throat by half an inch. Her attack was done perfectly, but the clone's reflexes proved far more efficient than an average opponent's. The clone snapped a strike at Kasumi's throat in retaliation, its hand open with rigid fingers. No doubt the hand would have cut her like a knife. Thankfully, she did not put the thought to the test and moved out of Beta-1's range before its arm fully extended.

Ayane spun like a top and unleashed a powered up kick to Beta-2's face. The clone retaliated by spinning back. It continued to spin, like Ayane, but the speed was inhuman. The clone moved forward and used the spinning to unleash its own kick at Ayane's face. The female tengu ducked under the attack, but gasped when she felt the force pass over her head, like she had just ducked an iron ball fired from a canon.

Beta-1 teleported when Kasumi struck with her blade, this time compensating for the clone's reflexes. Kasumi used the momentum of her strike to curl the attack around to hit the clone when it appeared behind her. Her attack went wild when it did not hit the resistance of the genetically engineered flesh of the clone. She managed to pull the attack off and regain her senses.

The clone had instead appeared behind Ayane and rammed into the petite teen. The kunoichi lurched forward, straight into the flip kick of Beta-2 that took her four inches into the air. By the time Kasumi got within striking distance of the pair, Beta-1 struck Ayane's back with the palm of her hand, sending the girl flying. Kasumi almost hesitated when the Beta clones both turned to greet her.

"I am not afraid!" Kasumi roared more to herself than the clones.

She used a wide slash that she hoped would ward off the clones. Both clones disappeared, teleported away. Correction, Beta-1 teleported away, Ayane's clone had slipped under the attack. The clone clung to the ground on all fours, like a stalking cat. Its leg jutted up and caught Kasumi on the chin, popping her high into the air, straight into an axle kick of a hovering Beta-1.

Kasumi cracked her head on the floor, her wakizashi clattering away.

Beta-2 had sprung from the ground toward Kasumi's limp body with a hand aimed at the girl's neck.

Ayane interrupted Beta-2 with a spinning barrel-roll kick from the side. Beta-1 came to from above to avenge the attack on its sister. Ayane pitched an explosive ball into the clone's face, causing it to flop back. The little sister knelt down by her big sister.

"Kasumi." Ayane took a quick glance at the clones who were still reeling from the attacks. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah." Kasumi weakly said and spat blood on the floor. "Got a major headache, but I'll live."

"Good." Ayane grabbed her sister by her shoulders. "Now get up and help me take out the-"

The words died when Ayane noticed that the clones were already upon them. Beta-1 had her palm in motioned and aimed at Kasumi with Beta-2 held a sphere of glowing energy, its sights on Ayane.

"Fuck." Was the sole thought in Ayane's head.

Something big suddenly came down and put itself between the clones and the originals. The clones abandoned their attack and leapt back to safety.

Ayane blinked when she recognized the object as she had seen once before, the Sparda blade.

"Alright, this is the second time I've pulled your collective sweet asses out of the fire." A woman called out from the shadows. "I'm expecting a steak dinner for all of this."

Kasumi's eyes lit up while Ayane groaned. Trish put her hands on her hips and gave a cocky smile.

"Trish!" Kasumi said. "We were looking for you! Where's brother?"

"And how the hell did you give us the slip at the airport?" Ayane demanded.

"Your bro's here, somewhere. And I can teleport, remember?" Trish shot back.

"But I thought you couldn't do…never mind." Ayane shook her head.

"Flag on the play." Trish walked in front of her sword with her twin pistols in hand. "Unnecessary roughness on team Ugly Freaks. Penalty, a shot through the heads for both players."

Trish leveled her guns and fired.

"What in the…who in the hell is she?" Donovan roared.

The Kasumi clones froze in their duties, each looking at the professor with blank faces. They heard their creator ask a question which usually meant they had a task they had to perform. However, they did not understand what it was he wanted.

As a security precaution, Donovan had installed a bio-monitoring system inside his clones, a surveillance system that kept track of the clones' internal stats and external environment. In short, he could tell what was going on in their bodies as well as around, even visually. The monitor before him showed what the clones saw and what he saw now was someone he had never seen before.

Donovan tapped nervously on his desk with a pen. The clones had the ability to upgrade and adapt themselves to their opponents in real time. No longer did he have to manually put the data inside them. They did not have artificial intelligence. They had actual intelligence, although their ability to learn did have pre-set limitations. For instance, they would not learn to begin to realize themselves and ask questions like 'what am I' or 'why am I alive' or 'do I have a soul' or, more importantly, 'why should I do what you tell me to'?

The woman in black used guns and a sword, and although the clones were neigh indestructible when it came to conventional weapons, the giant sword looked like it could turn the clones into splattered pudding if it landed a hit. Not to mention the fight just became three on two and the clones, which did not have information about the third woman, had to learn the attack patterns and styles of the newcomer and fight off two additional targets. Very unfair odds that the clones had a hard time compensating for.

Donovan faced a dilemma: Have the clones keep fighting and face the very real possibility of losing or recall the clones and cut short the testing that the clones needed?

Donovan inhaled deeply, held it, and let it out slowly. The former option had the advantage of continued information gathering. And if the clones failed, he would simply put the data into a new set of clones. The flaw was that making a new set of clones would take more time and resources. The latter had the advantage of allowing the clones more processing time to analyze the data they acquired and gave Donovan the option to study the new data more closely for future upgrades he had fiddled with in his downtime. The flaw was that Kasumi and Ayane would know about the clones and give them more time to devise strategies and counter measures for their next encounter.

"Be a fool, or be a coward?" Donovan asked himself as he rolled a pen between his fingers.

The Kasumi clones continued to remain motionless.

The monitors showed that the Beta clones were still facing a disadvantage. They were not adapting fast enough.

With a sigh, Donovan tapped a key, signaling the clones to come home. Getting them in the building took some effort, but with their abilities now in full swing, they could return home rather quickly.

"Live to fight another day, right?" Donovan rhetorically asked a nearby clone.

The clone looked at Donovan inquisitively before returning to its cleaning.

Trish whipped Sparda around, a deep roar came from the blade cutting air, like a large arm of a windmill blew past. The Beta clones leapt back, channeled bio-energy into their palms…and stopped.

Trish held up the Sparda blade one-handed, the tip pointed at the clones. Kasumi and Ayane flanked the blonde demoness, ready to engage the enemy.

The clones stood calmly, like the fight was over.

"What are they doing?" Ayane hissed.

The clones leaped into the air and teleported. Kasumi and Ayane flinched slightly, expecting an attack. None came. The three waited for a full minute before Ayane broke the silence.

"No way." She relaxed her stance and looked around. "No way did those freaks of science just run off."

"Looks like they just did, hun." Trish said casually and returned the Sparda to her back. "Shame. I wanted to see if they were just made of Jell-O."

Kasumi remained silent as she smoothly slid her sword back into its sheath.

"So," Trish shrugged, "what now?"

"We find brother." Kasumi spoke like it was the only option. "And then we leave."

"Ok." Trish turned to face them with a smile. "Where is he now?"

The girls paused for a moment, like they had not considered it.

"He was searching for Helena." Ayane offered, though she sounded not too sure of herself. "So he's probably near the top of the building."

"Maybe." Trish said. "Although with all the hell that's been breaking loose, she probably left already."

The girls deflated when the realized that the scenario Trish presented was also very likely. Kasumi perked her head up when she saw Trish leaving.

"Trish." Kasumi called out with a raised arm. "Where are you going?"

"Outside." Trish turned and replied with a big relaxed smile. "You might not know where your big bro is, but I know where Dante is and what he's doing. A rematch with his big bro and I want front row seats for that fight." Trish winked. "Wanna come?"

The sister looked at each other for a moment, seeing if the other would object. Neither did.

Sparks flew as Devil Arm and Devil Arm competed against one another for domination. The Azure Flame powered Doku and the impossibly sharp Yamato versus the Crimson Lightning charged Apophis. The brothers' stared each other down. Vergil had only the slightest of scowls on his otherwise grim face while Dante had a vicious grin splitting his face from ear to ear.

"Ya know, bro, I've been thinking," Dante said. "Maybe your testy because you haven't been gettin' any, ya know what I mean?" Dante tried to push harder, but the power stalemate continued. "There's this gal I know back home that can do all kinds of kinky shit. Maybe I should give you her number?" Another push, still nothing. "Or maybe I'm trying to sell cats to a dog person?"

"Gay jokes? Really? What are you, sixteen again?" Vergil said in an unimpressed tone. "Besides, that's awfully big talk from someone who's bedding a woman who looks like mother."

Now that was low. Real low.

"I ain't 'bedding' her, fuck-o." Dante growled. "But I'm about to make my foot yer new boyfriend."

Vergil's boot came up and caught Dante on the chin, pushing him back. The two traded blows with swords bouncing off metal encased arms and legs. Dante saw an opening and aimed a perfectly executed backhand. He realized the ruse far too late as Vergil ducked under the attack and snapped Yamato up, popping Dante in the air and bringing Doku down to send him flying and on fire.

Spitting out a curse, Dante whirled his legs around and got back up. The fire had died out once he hit the pavement. He felt stupid, his attempt to get under his brother's skin backfired spectacularly.

He caught a small fuck you smirk on Vergil's face. Dante shook his head and smirked back. Alright, no more head games, back to good old fashioned head breaking.

The Phantom Swords reappeared around Vergil. The blades blurred through the night sky like shooting stars. Dante only side stepped a few as he charged his brother, the others he batted away with Apophis. The swords shattered like glass. Apparently they only detonated if they impaled something.

Dante reared back a fist. Only a few short feet stood between him and his brother's smug face. Two Phantom Swords suddenly popped out from behind his older brother. Dante lashed out and shattered the blades, only to leave himself open for Vergil's swords.

With a quick twist of his ankle, Vergil side stepped his brother as he tumbled past him, out of control, into a police cruiser, nearly folding it in half.

"You never were light on your feet, brother." Vergil dryly commented.

The car suddenly jumped into the air like it had been shot from a catapult. Vergil watched the car roll in the air, loose pieces breaking off like an asteroid loosing chunks of itself when it reached an atmosphere. Knowing that the thing would land on him, Vergil grabbed the handles to his swords on his waist. A bloody bolt of electrical energy struck Vergil in the chest. The Crimson Lightning shot disoriented the eldest Son of Sparda, his limbs went numb. The car smashed him and rolled off. Vergil unsteadily stood, still feeling the effects of the lightning. Dante rammed into him like a linebacker and slammed him into the overturn car. He pulled back his fist and slammed it into his brother's face over and over, like a piston. Each time his demonically amplified fist struck his brother, it unleashed a small explosion of electric power. To the spectators, it was a thunderstorm unleashed.

The explosion that happened next dwarfed the previous ones. Dante flew back, tumbling uncontrollably. He punched his fist into the pavement in an attempt to anchor himself. The force of the blast kept Dante in motion, but he had stopped himself from feeling like he was caught in a giant washing machine. His fist dug a trench in the pavement before he came to a full stop. The pavement cracked when his Apophis encase feet touched the ground.

The light faded. Something stood where the epicenter of the blast originated. A creature clad in something dark navy. It almost looked like the armor of a knight, but the way it fitted together resembled the exoskeleton of an insect. Pieces connected to other pieces, no gaps. The chest plate had the look of the torso of a man bristling with muscle. A deep purple cape wrapped around the thing's shoulders. The head was more like a medieval helmet; smooth and almost featureless except for the two piercing, glowing blue eyes. The top of the head split open for pearl-colored spikes to protrude out, like crystal glass was growing from its head.

The air around it crackled and snapped with the raw power that emitted from it. Two Japanese-styled swords were grasped in its armored, clawed hands.

"Yeesh, just when I thought you couldn't get any uglier." Dante quipped.

"We're twins." The thing said in a voice that was a blend of Vergil and something else, something unnatural. "We have the same face."

"Yeah, well, you should look in a mirror." Dante said, completely unfazed.

Vergil sliced Doku at Dante, unleashing a rolling wave of Azure Flame. Dante remained glued to the ground with a smirk on his face when the fire struck like a napalm explosion.

The fires burned everything, turned cars into heaps of molten slag and DOATEC soldiers into flaming skeletons.

Screams and cries came from the crowd at the intense inferno. Panicked, the remaining DOATEC troops fell back, realizing that getting in the way was getting them all slaughtered. The police pushed the people and news crews back further and the crowd, picking up on the insane amount of bloodlust in the air, responded without protest. Fear had overridden curiosity.

The fires vanished instantly, like a strong wind had rushed through and snuffed it out. Dante stood in the center of the newly formed crater of flash-fried smooth glass that glowed with heat. The devil hunter had changed as well, Devil Triggered. The Apophis gauntlets and grieves were still attached.

"Alright, hardcore it is then." Dante said in his now demonic voice. "No quarter asked?"

"None given." Vergil replied.

The two brothers charged each other, gliding off the ground like birds, and clashed.

Things had to be winding down or unraveling. DOATEC forces were in tatters and in disarray, the tower was barely holding together, plans on both sides were shattered, and everyone was running out of ideas, patience, and energy. Kasumi hoped that the battle would end soon and everyone would go home to their loved ones, but the realist in her knew that more blood would spill before than.

Ayane, Trish, and she had traversed down the tower and had reached the main floor. She ignored the crumpled bodies of riot-gear wearing DOATEC soldiers and ran to the big glass doors to see the fight outside. Normally using the front entrance would have been seen as tactically sound as walking in front a bullet, but the current situation threw tactical out the window.

The double doors slid open, although she could have easily strolled right on through the closed doors as the glass had completely busted out along with every window on that floor.

It took a moment for her to completely analyze and decipher what her eyes saw. DOATEC soldiers stood motionless and dumbfounded, their weapons almost slipping from their hands. The crowds of people kept retreating, pushing back, screaming like death was mere feet away. Fires burned from overturned or demolished vehicles from police cruisers to armored personnel carriers. DOATEC troop bodies littered the streets. At the center of it all were two…things battling each other with swords and fists.

It took a fraction of a second for Kasumi to identify the things; Dante and Vergil. The Apophis Devil Arms and Yamato sword were dead giveaways, yet it astounded her that she could make that connection upon further inspection of the two brothers. They had changed into something truly demonic. Dante's form had traits of his wild nature, feet that split off into three clawed toes, his coat melded into his flesh making it a part of his body, eyes that held no pupils or irises, just pure glowing red. Vergil had a suit of organic armor, a hard carapace. His cape had the appearance of an insect's wings, like that of a moth, only a single color and thick with no use for flying. Vergil's form was terrifying, yet it was not repulsive like a bug, instead she felt a sort of aura from him, like a real knight, yet the coldness and hatred was undeniable.

Dante slammed a fist into Vergil's face. Vergil swatted Dante away with his blades.

"What…what the fuck is _this_?" Ayane barely got out of her mouth. "What is…are those things…?"

"Yeah, they are." Trish answered somberly, her sight focused on the battle. "Man, they're going all out. It's a war to them."

"But…how did they…"

Dante's foot nearly collided with Vergil's head. The demon hunter suddenly dropped and used his hands like feet as he fought in a manner resembling a break-dancer.

"Devil Trigger." Trish answered Ayane's incomplete question. "An ability to activate the full power of one's demon blood. Everything changes when it happens, speed, strength, endurance, power, perception, agility, even thought process. Everything gets cranked up to eleven." Trish sounded afraid, like she did not like explaining it. "And a demon's form changes as well, obviously."

"You mean he can do that at any time?" Ayane asked, getting her nerve back.

Trish shook her head. "Sort of. But it's like flexing a muscle. You can only do it for so long."

Vergil flickered as he slashed at Dante. His new found speed allowed him to appear to be in several places at once.

"Can you…do it too?" Ayane said.

Trish nodded.

"Well, can't you go in there and help him out?"

"I can." Trish said sadly. "But I won't. This is something far beyond me. Besides, the way they are now, they'd tear me apart just to get to each other."

This was a dream, or perhaps a fairytale come to life and acting out before her very eyes; the vicious and feral demon beast versus the cold, stalwart knight. Of course, the princess never rooted for the beast to topple the knight. Kasumi's cheeks colored when she realized the she had perceived herself as some beautiful and helpless damsel.

The feeling faded into the back reaches of her mind when she witnessed their fight. When blades failed, they lashed out like animals. Dante snarled and snapped, attacking with teeth and claws. Vergil growled and yelled, hitting with fists and feet.

No, this was no fight, this was no battle. A fight had a sort of honor or code, a sense of order, even in the most desperate of times. Even Christie with her underhandedness and Ayane with her shadowy killing art held a trace of dignity, of professionalism in what they did. But the brothers did not care about rules or order or even self respect, they just wanted to inflict pain, regardless of how it happened.

This was no fight, they were killing each other.

The Apophis disappeared in a flash of crimson light and Rebellion returned in Dante's hand. The Doku still hung from Vergil's waist, but he focused on solely using Yamato. The two met in the air and exchanged sword blows at an astonishing speed. Kasumi could see streaks of hot shining silver swirled about in the sky around the brothers as they whipped their swords around, trying to find flesh.

Finally, the two lunged back and slammed their blades together, locking them into place. The demon's screamed at each other, feral and angry. The two demons reared back fists and struck each other once with a force of a runaway semi-truck. Each half-demon staggered back, almost fell completely. The demonic aura around Dante and Vergil flickered and vanished. Their demon forms faded away to reveal their human appearance.

"This is it." Trish gripped Sparda tighter. "They're runnin' on fumes now. Get ready."

Ayane put a hand on her pouch and held it there, ready to retrieve whatever she needed. Kasumi reached back and let her fingers loosely curl around her wakizashi.

The brothers regained their balance and charged each other again. Their swords struck with far less intensity as earlier, but Kasumi could see that each brother still had the burning rage within them to make each shot count.

Vergil kept up with Dante, batting away each strike until Dante tried a piercing maneuver. Vergil used the curved design of his sword to catch Rebellion and with one jerk disarmed his brother. Rebellion spun away. Vergil took advantage of his upper hand and landed three solid sword slashed to his brother's torso.

Dante reeled, almost uncontrollably, after the last strike hit. After regaining his footing, Dante turned the upper part of his body, crouched, and fired his twin guns. Vergil, far too tired to evade, jerked back as his body soaked up the rounds.

Vergil fell to a knee and stabbed his blade into the pavement to prop himself up. Dante let Ebony and Ivory drop to the ground and pushed off to get a running start at Vergil. The eldest brother snarled and let go of Yamato, also making an unarmed final dash into the fight.

Kasumi watched with baited breath as the two drew closer. They no longer had the demonic edge, both had used up nearly everything they had and now drew on sheer will power. In their heads, their fight seemed like a destined battle where only one walked away, but with their powers empty and their super-human strength barely existing, Kasumi felt more like a spectator watching two angry drunks brawling in the street.

When the two closed the gap, Dante let loose a punch that connected with his brother's face.

Kasumi winced, she actually heard Vergil's nose break.

Vergil snapped a knee into Dante's gut, forcing the air out of his lungs.

Dante collapsed, struggling to breathe. Vergil stumbled while holding his bleeding nose, fell, got back up, retrieved his sword, and jumped. Kasumi felt that 'jumped' did not an accurately explained what she saw, Vergil just shot up in the air and latched onto the side of the building across the street.

"He's running!" Ayane brought out a kunai. "Coward."

"Hardly." Trish put a hand out to stop Ayane. "He knows he'll be screwed if he keeps fighting. Even if he won, he can't fight us too in the state he's in."

Dante roared and brought up the grenade launcher. Vergil was already over the top when the round struck.

"Shit." He hissed.

"Dante." Trish knelt next to her partner. "You ok?"

The demon hunter looked around, seeing destruction, death, and pure chaos, all because of his brother.

"I'm tickled pink." Dante grumbled and stood. "Now let's get out of this dump."

The Devil's Armory

_Herein lies the weapons The Hunters have obtained in this tale so far_

Grenade Launcher-A single shot anti-personnel weapon that fires shaped-charged grenade rounds designed to explode on contact. While made for human use, its explosive nature makes it equally suitable for taking on multiple unholy creatures both weak and strong.


	34. the day after

A/N: This is dedicated to my friend who's going to Afghanistan for a whole year. Come back safe, dude. Now I'm down a video game buddy, but hopefully getting back on to X-box Live will make up for that. Going back to college for another year. I have a feeling that being a grad student will kick my ass, but time will tell.

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: DMC owned by Capcom. DOA and NG owned by Team Ninja and Tecmo.

**Dead or Alive 4: The Devil Factor**

**Chapter 34: The Day After**

_20 miles outside Paris_

_France_

_Thursday-4:22 a.m._

Two men in dark suits hiked up the dusty road. Their flashlights swung back and forth, cutting away the blackness of night. The sun would not make its grand appearance for another hour or so, another thing the men liked to gripe about as they marched.

"Are you sure it's here?" The first man asked as he examined a ditch, trying to see if what they searched for concealed itself in the tall grass. "Cause it's so dark, I can't see shit unless I stepped in it."

"The GPS located it here, about a few feet off from where we parked." The second man looked back at their black sedan. The car had slipped itself into the night, only the piercing headlights signaled where they had left it.

The first man let out an irritated humph. "GPS, please. Technology ain't infallible. Remember last week when our GPS told us to turn left at the plaza? Would have drove right into some poor bastard's house."

"You wanna tell the queen bitch that you quit because you hate technology, go right ahead. Just make sure to have your bags packed and a ticket outta here casue she'll make sure you'll never work in this town again. Look at what happened to that German guy that worked here a few months back. He…" The first man paused when he spotted tire tracks in the gravel that went over the edge of the road. When he looked down, his light gleamed off of metal. "Found it. Over here."

The two men carefully walked down the small incline into a dip of land, filled with small trees. The car had run into one of the trees, nearly snapping it in half. The car's front had the markings of the crash, the hood had crumbled and steam came from the ruined engine.

"Well, my money's on teens taking this car. Stupid teens." The second man said as he ran his light across the front end. "Stupid, drunk teens."

"I don't think so." The first man said at the back of the car. "Check this out."

The second man walked to the back and almost gasped. Odd shaped knives and star shaped weapons peppered the trunk and back window. An Asian styled sword was buried in the glass and a scythe-like weapon gripped the bumper.

"The fuck is this shit?" The second man muttered. "Our car-jackers decided to play ninja assassin on this thing before they split?"

"Not jackers. Kidnappers." The first man flashed his light to the road and back to the car. "Lady Douglass said that one of her VIPs is missing and she suspects a snatch job. This is the only car missing."

"A kidnapping? After all the shit that's happening in the city?" The second man almost yelled. "She sure this VIP didn't get killed tonight?"

"That's what we're here to find out." The first man said, losing his patience. "Look, the driver's side and rear side doors are open. What's that say?"

"There was more than one person in this car." The second man replied, studying the car more closely. "So either I'm right about the fuckin' teens or-"

"There was more than one person in this car." The first man finished and dug into his jacket's pocket. "I'm calling it in."

_Helena's private jet en-route to Moscow_

_Currently located over Germany_

_Thursday-9:22 a.m._

Most celebrities flew in small compact jets, ones that held a scant few people plus a two man crew. However, Helena was not like most celebrities. Her jet was cutting edge, nearly the size of most commercial airliners. Designed and built by DOATEC, the Helios-class jet was more like a mansion with wings. It had private and reasonably spacious showers, two guest bedrooms and a master bedroom, a dinning hall, a kitchen, and a living room with a plasma screen television and designer furniture. Only one plane was ever constructed and was used exclusively by Fame Douglass. After his death, it sat in a hangar for a few years gathering dust, until Helena pulled it out of storage and re-commissioned it for her own use after her accession into the DOATEC president's seat.

Helena rubbed her temples slowly. She relaxed on a white couch with a cold washcloth over her eyes and explicit instructions to the staff to have the lights dimmed and her privacy undisturbed. Add to that a few extra strength pain relievers and a dose of her other medicines and she expected to get her good night's sleep and maybe get rid of her five-alarm migraine.

"Well, hello, Lady Helena." An icy warm voice grated in her mind. "Catching up on your beauty sleep?"

The French Soprano groaned. "Trying to. Now go away."

A smarmy noise came from Christie who plopped down on the couch near her feet. "Oh, come now, love, don't tell me you're weak and weary from staying up for only one night. Me? I can work from sun up to sun down, party the night away, and go right back to work at the break of dawn." A moment passed before Christie continued. "Of course, I usually work during the night. But you get the idea."

"Indeed." Helena said flatly, still in a reclined position, trying to will Christie away with her thoughts.

"Still, after a nice hot shower and an ice cold ale, I'm a bit tipsy myself." Christie yawned. "I don't suppose I could borrow your bedroom for a while."

"You have your own bed." Helena said, her tone growing irritated. "Plus, mine's already being used."

Kokoro, after getting a good once over by Helena's personal physician and venting her frustrations about her missing mother, had finally fallen asleep in the master bedroom. Helena hoped that her little half-sister would have a calmer disposition when she awoke.

"Pretty please?" Christie pouted. "My bed's a bit too small for me and Dante. Well, at least for some of the acrobatic things I got planned."

Helena groaned again, louder. She was getting sick of Christie's dirty comments.

"Listen, you limey tramp," Helena sat up and tore away the cloth. "I'm not gonna wake my sister so you can have-" Helena's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

Christie sat in white silk panties and nothing else as she drank from a pint glass half full of dark amber liquid.

"For the love of Christ." Helena turned away and clamped her eyes shut. "Have some modesty for once in your life."

"Modesty is for the meek." Christie said as she took her lips off the glass. "Maybe you should try lightening up, maybe do more than just sleep topless."

"How did you know…?" Helena fired daggers at Christie as she choked on anger. "Never mind." Helena's eyes wondered down before she turned away her gaze again.

"Oh, please." Christie sounded unimpressed. "They're called breasts, Lady Helena. You've got a pair yourself."

"Just…go." Helena jabbed her finger at the door. "I'm not giving you my room and I am in no mood to humor your sick mind games. Now go away."

"If that is what you wish." Christie stood, sounding disappointed. She stopped at the door and turned back. "By the way, do you really think we'll be safe in Moscow?"

Helena lay back down and closed her eyes. "No. If anything we've learned that nowhere is safe, but there's a place my father built that's not on any official documents. It should suffice while we recover and regroup."

"Will Bayman and Leon meet us there?" Christie asked before taking another drink.

"No. I've given them an assignment. They'll be gone for a while."

"What about your POWs? Told your guns for hire to blow their brains out?"

"No." Helena paused for a moment. "I told them to let the others go."

"Oh?" Christie hid her surprise well. "Any particular reason why?"

"They were not important." Helena simply said.

"I see." Christie slurred, letting the statement hang in the air. After a few seconds of silence, Christie finished the conversation. "Well, you're the boss." She turned and walked out. "Oh, Dante." She caroled out in an American accent similar to Tina's. "Mama needs sum lovin'!"

"Slut." Helena put the towel back over her brow. "No class whatsoever."

Truth be told, Helena had no real clue what to do next after what happened in Paris, but she did not worry about it now. She had migraine to get over.

* * *

Dante twirled Rebellion with his fingers, the tip of the blade resting on the floor. He sat at the foot of his bed, mulling around thoughts in his head and staring deeply into a corner. The one thought that took center stage in his head was his brother.

Dante knew Vergil well, better than anyone alive, although that did not say much. His older twin had his eye on something, but what exactly escaped him. Dante had hoped to stop him right then and there in Paris, but as usual, sealing the deal had proved troublesome.

Vergil wanted power, it was inevitable as the sun setting or Enzo bitching about money, but how he was getting that power baffled Dante. Vergil said he wanted to make his own power, but at the same time he brought together a demon army and had no quarrels about showing it off on the six o'clock news as he dismantled a tower and everyone in it with swords and axes and God only knew what else.

"The song sounds familiar." Dante muttered. "But the beat feels different."

"Oh, Dante." A voice broke his concentration. "Mama needs sum lovin'!"

"Oh, crap." Dante placed his face in his palm.

The door bust open with Christie holding onto the frame with a cocky smile and half a mug in her hand.

"Ta da." Christie said in her normal voice. "Your dream come true has arrived."

"If that was true you'd also have a pizza." Dante replied with a smirk. "And there'd be two of you."

"Let's not get greedy, baby." Christie sauntered in, closing the door behind her. "One, you need to broaden your food horizon and two, you can barely handle one of me."

Dante let the smirk hang for a moment before he turned his attention back to his sword. His brother's ramblings would not leave his head, the words hummed around in his skull like wasps trapped in a glass jar.

"Drifting off to day dream land?" Christie snapped her fingers in front of his face. "Well wake up, because your reality is about to get very pleasant." She traced her finger nail on Dante's chin.

"I've been thinking." Dante ignored the touch. "Ran into an old ghost from my rather jaded past."

"Oh?" Christie asked, genuinely interested. "An old flame perhaps?"

"No, more like a little bastard that I thought I put down long ago." Dante muttered. "Popped up with a big ass axe to grind and a fuckin' army behind him."

"Wow." Christie sat on the bed and took another swing. "You sure attract some colorful people. So who's the prick? And what type of men does he have? Street thugs? Mercs? Pros?"

"Undead." Dante answered flatly. "And the prick's my brother."

For once, Christie was stunned into silence, at least for a few moments. "Really? Your brother?"

"Yep." Dante said with the darkest of humor. "My one fuckin' blood."

"What happened?" She pressed.

Dante looked back at his sword, remembering what happened after the fight.

* * *

"_It's gonna be big, you know that right?" Trish said. "Your brother never thought small time."_

_The devil hunters and kunoichi sisters had retreated to a safer location away from prying eyes. The rooftop of a small apartment building three blocks away fit the bill._

"_Yeah, I know." Dante leaned against a wall and crossed his arms. "But as usual he's keeping the particulars tight lipped. All I got from him was getting more power and that could boil down to almost anything."_

"_Well, we do know that he's in league with Donovan." Kasumi chimed in. "And that he's the one behind mother's kidnapping."_

"_And Donovan has two new toys." Ayane added. "Plus Vergil has a demon army. Minus Doku. Nice work, by the way."_

"_I killed a lot of bad guys in my life. But that's one I can't take credit for." Dante shook his head. "I think Ryu might have done that."_

"_And he's not completely out of the picture." Trish reminded. "Our favorite freak samurai is now a nice new sharp sword for Vergil."_

"_So," Dante looked over the trio of gals. "What's that all tell us?"_

_No one answered._

"_Yeah, I've got nuthin' too."_

"_So now what?" Ayane asked. "I mean, what do we do now? From what I gather, we're all on opposite sides right now."_

"_Well, let's fix that." Trish said. "Because right now, Vergil is gunnin' for all of us. We gotta come together or we'll tear each other apart for him."_

"_Exactly." Kasumi said eagerly. "We need everyone to be friends again."_

"_I doubt we were all friends in the first place." Ayane rolled her eyes. "Plus, our brother and Helena are willing to patch things up now."_

"_I agree." Dante said in seriousness. "Those two get along like a cat and a trailer trash kid with a microwave." He pushed off the wall. "So, let's take this slow. I'll go back to Helena, see what she has planned next and try to steer her away from ninja killing. Work our way from there."_

"_I'll go back to Hayate." Trish followed Dante's reasoning. "But I got to have something for him when I get back, he's got the mad on for the French lady and I don't think he's gonna like going home empty handed."_

"_Lemme see." Dante thought. "Tell him Helena's going after the DOATEC board members. I'm talkin' ' a bullet for each of their heads' deal here."_

"_Not sure if he'll like it, but it's better than nuthin'." Trish shrugged._

"_By the way, they should tell him." Dante pointed at the girls. "I don't think he'll welcome you back with open arms."_

"_What? Why?" Trish glared at him. "What bullshit did you pull this time?"_

"_Well, not that I'm admitting to anything, but there might have been an incident where someone might have said a few unflattering things to said ninja. A scuffle could have broken out as well, but nothing I'm willing to confirm."_

_Trish started to rub her eyes. "Oh, Dante."_

"_You…fought brother?" Kasumi asked with wide eyes._

_Ayane just stared daggers._

"_What?" Dante asked with open arms. "The guy attacked me! What was I supposed to do, help him insert his sword?" Dante paused. "Man, that sounded dirty."_

"_Dante." Trish interjected. "I have one question, who attacked first?"_

"_Well, technically he did," Dante began, " but…look we can all stand around and talk about who started what or who shot at who…"_

"_You shot our brother?" Ayane almost screamed._

"_Shot at. Not shot. There's a difference." Dante said. "Besides, the guy's still alive ok? No harm, no foul. So can we move on, please?"_

_Ayane and Kasumi remained silent but gave Dante looks. Kasumi gave him a deeply concerned look and Ayane's was more of a glare._

"_Anyway, let's keep Mr. Ninja and Frenchy on a leash for now." Dante steered the conversation back on track. "Normally I'm more of a 'do-it-myself' type of guy, but it looks like we're gonna have to collaborate if we want everyone to get out of this alive."_

"_We'll need to stay in contact." Ayane reached into her pouch and tossed something at Dante. "So here."_

_Dante snagged the object, a cheap, disposable cell-phone in drab-black with a thick, fold out antenna._

"_Oh, gee, and I didn't get anything for you." Dante held the phone like a dead fish._

"_They're untraceable and should get a signal anywhere." Ayane bitterly said as she tossed a second to Trish. "Got 'em hooked up to a satellite, so we'll only be able to call each other."_

"_You ninjas are full of surprises." Trish slid the phone into her back pocket._

"_Actually we know some techno-geeks who can do pretty much anything if you have the cash." Ayane smirked._

"_Ok. You go back to Helena." Trish pointed at Dante with her left hand. "You two rendezvous with your big bro." She pointed at the sisters with her right. "Now what do I do?" She used both hands to point at herself._

"_Our mother is with us." Kasumi said. "As well as Eliot. They'll need protection."_

"_Who?" Dante asked._

"_A new guy staying with us at your shop." Ayane said. "Long story."_

"_Oh, great, more people movin' in to my home." Dante threw up his arms. "I swear to Christ I should start charging all of ya for room and board."_

"_Oh, quit whining." Trish waived him off._

"_We'll show you where they are." Kasumi said to Trish. "Are you ready?"_

_Trish gave Dante an odd look, more forlorn than angry, before she turned to the teen. "Lead on."_

* * *

After the goodbyes, Dante wandered around Paris, attempting to find a bar to get blasted and actually salvage something from the night. He barely got three blocks under his belt when a black limousine slid up next to him with an angry Helena barking at him to get in. The good news? The French lady was angry in general, not at something Dante did specifically. The bad news, on the other hand, he still got an ear full on the way to the airport. Plus having Christie use his lap for a seat during the entire trip did not make things easier since he had to pee wicked bad after ten minutes into a half an hour drive.

"Hello?" Christie snapped her fingers in Dante's face. "Earth to Dante."

Dante blinked rapidly, like something got caught in both his eyes. "What?"

"I asked, what happened?" Christie said more slowly, slightly irritated. "What caused you two to take sibling rivalry up a notch?"

Dante inhaled for a moment before letting it out. "A dead mother and a difference of perspective. In that order."

"I see." Christie said and offered him her drink.

Dante took the mug and guzzled down a good portion. He did not feel like he had to keep everything about himself a secret to the snowy haired assassin. After all, what would she do, write about it in her blog? No need to go into extreme detail about his life, however.

"Feeling better?" Christie said as she played with his hair.

"Much." Dante said bitterly and gave the mug back.

Christie gave a feline smirk and downed the last of the mug. "The mistake you're making right now, love, is that you're thinking." She set the mug on the nightstand. "And I know of a great way to make the thoughts go away." She slid her fingers over his coat. "If you've still got the energy."

"So, he's a mama's boy?" Christie thought as she maneuvered her way around Dante. "A little disappointing, but still, his power more than makes up for it."

She saw a chink in his armor. A small one, but that was all she needed.

Dante started to take off his coat. Christie seized his arm, stopping him.

"Wait." She purred. "Leave it on."

A small smirk came to his face.

She already knew his little ticks and vices. Slowly she was seeping into him, making him the sword that she could use against others, especially a certain someone.

She undid his belt and looked into his eyes with her best 'come hither' expression.

"Fancy a little wager?" Christie cooed. "First one who taps out has to buy dinner."

_Unknown Location_

_France_

_9:31 a.m._

"This sucks!" Tina moaned. "How did we get stuck here?"

"Because those damned DOATEC guys shot at ya!" Jann Lee yelled and instantly flinched, clutching his ribs. "Fuck, this hurts."

"Then stop yelling, dumbass." Lei-Fang checked his dressings for blood. "And he's right, for once. If DOATEC shot at ya, then you can't go back to them."

"But th' guys that worked fer th' French gal were on th' up an' up!" Tina countered.

"Ok. Can you tell which guys work for her and which don't?" Lei-Fang asked calmly.

Tina grumbled something, but did not answer.

The hideout the ninjas used was an old, run down apartment with bare walls and sparse furniture. A small television sat on a plastic bin. The channel was set on an all news network in French. Tina paced the room while others with more serious injuries sat in fold-out chairs or the stained couch. Lei-Fang acted as nurse as she bused between Jann Lee and Bass. Ryu stood beside the door in casual clothes.

"I can't believe I forgot t' ask fer Dante's cell number." Tine nibbled on her thumbnail. "Now I don' know where he is or wha' he's doin'." Tina narrowed her gaze. "Or who he's doin'."

"Fer cryin' out loud, sweetie, if ya don' trust th' guy, then stop seein' him." Bass called out.

"It's not him, it's her, that Brit bitch." Tina huffed. "She's got'm all t' herself right now an' I know she's puttin' th' moves on him. I can feel it."

"Is she always like this about a guy?" Lei-Fang whispered to Bass.

"No." The king of the ring sighed. "An' that's what scares me."

Bass scratched his chin and tried not to think about the dull throb in his knees. Fate had proven itself whimsical as of late. Yesterday he and his daughter were 'guests' of Helena, then the attack from the ninjas and their pals came. Shortly after, DOATEC, the people that supposedly had Helena as their boss, started shooting at them. Then the hitman Bayman and the mercenary Leon dragged their asses out of the tower and to a 'safe house' only to ditch them just before the ninjas showed up and offer help. It was getting hard to see who was friend and who was foe nowadays.

"An' were's that top dog ninja guy at?" Tina bellowed. "I got sum questions fer him."

Bass realized that he zoned out some of his daughter's ramblings. Not entirely a bad thing, he enjoyed some peace and quiet now and then, even if it was just in his head.

"He's busy." Ryu answered. "He's speaking with his sisters."

"Oh, so ya can do more than stand there like a statue." Tina crowed. "Why ain't we doin' anythin'? Why are we jus' sittin' aroun' nursin' our boo-boos?"

"Jann-Lee has three fractured ribs and your father almost blew out his knees." Lei-Fang lectured. "Hardly 'boo-boos'."

"For me, they are." Jann Lee muttered.

Lei-Fang slapped him upside the head. "Pipe down."

"Hayate's deciding what to do next." Ryu said. "Knowing him, we won't be here long, so don't worry."

* * *

Hitomi hated to eavesdrop, but it was not technically eavesdropping if everyone in the room knew she was there. She continued bandaging a shirtless Ein's arm as he sat in a wooden chair and talked to his sisters in Japanese.

"She wants to kill them?" He talked to them more like soldiers than family. "Are you sure?"

The two nodded. The red head, Kasumi, she seemed most pleased, like a child walking into the living room on Christmas morning. The purple haired one, Ayane, kept switching between a blank, professional look, and another blank professional look with just a touch of glare. The switch only happened when she looked at her instead of Ein.

"Hmmm. Brutish, but effective." Ein said. "We'll let her carry out her plan. Let the enemy destroy itself."

Hitomi was surprised to see Ein's family and not just in Paris, but in general. Ein always seemed to keep a closed lid on his real family in Japan. In fact, she only knew bits and pieces. To make things even more interesting, Kasumi and Ayane from the tournaments were his sisters. She wanted to make a good impression. Giving medical care to their older brother might put her in a positive light.

"Brother." Kasumi stepped forward, although her tone held a faint meek ring. "What about the others that attacked us in the tower? They don't seem to be on DOATEC's side or ours."

"I agree." Ayane backed up her older sister. "Master Hayate, this other faction appears to be far more violent and aggressive than DOATEC. Perhaps we should focus on them for the time being."

"Are you suggesting we abandon our mission because something else is getting in our way?" Ein said eerily calm.

"No, Master Hayate. Please forgive me if I gave that impression." Ayane said, almost flustered. She bowed deeply at the waist and straightened back up. "I only wish to express my concern for this new faction and humbly suggest that we should treat them as just a big a threat as DOATEC."

Ein remained quiet for a moment before he answered. "I am inclined to agree." He gave Ayane his full attention. "And Ayane, I am sorry for snapping. Last night was rather…aggravating."

Ayane colored instantly and bowed again. "I understand, Master Hayate."

Ein leaned back in his chair and gave a muted groan in pain and clutch his side. "As for Trish. I take it she has returned to Dante?"

"We believe so." Ayane said. "Although we do not know for certain."

"I may have taken a lot of pain pills, but I am not blind." Ein said. "I know when my little sisters are lying to me."

Both girls looked away in shame. Both bowed.

"We apologize for deceiving, Master Hayate." Ayane sounded even more flustered.

"We just wanted to stop the fighting between you and Helena until we figured what was going on." Kasumi rambled out. "Please forgive us."

Ein sighed. "Again, I should be the one apologizing."

The sisters snapped back up, obviously surprised.

"I've had time to think and I believe I have been acting a bit too…rashly." Ein looked down. "I let my anger blind me to the truth, that destroying ourselves to destroy DOATEC is still a defeat." Hitomi could easily hear the shame in his voice. "I almost let our clan die for my revenge."

"Brother…" Kasumi began but did not finish.

"Do not mistake me, I still believe that DOATEC should be dealt with. They are still guilty of much." Ein returned his gaze to his sister. "But I will plan my steps a little better."

The sisters nodded eagerly. She smiled at how happy they appeared to see their brother, it was rather cute. The feeling faded when Ayane returned her smile with another discrete glare.

"We shall rest for now." Ein said. "And plan our next moves."

The sisters bowed respectively and turned to leave, before Ayane gave her last hidden glare.

"They know." Ein said calmly when the door closed.

"Know what?" Hitomi asked as she placed the last bandage.

"About us."

Hitomi almost choked. "Th…they do? How?"

"Being a ninja is more than just hiding in the shadows and knowing how to kill, we also have been trained in observation, particularly on how people interact with one another." Ein flexed his hand, testing it. "When you placed these bandages on me, you touched my body without hesitation or confusion. You were comfortable with the contact and you are well-versed in my physique."

Hitomi blushed hard enough to feel like she was going to have a fever. "I…I just…I mean, we…but…"

Ein interrupted her stammering by placing a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, they won't do or say anything. They know better than to impose on this. But it might take some time for them to accept it."

"More like only one has a problem." Hitomi thought.

Ein stood and tested his arms. "Anyway, those two have a point. This Vergil is going to be a very troublesome obstacle if what I've heard about him is true."

"He's fast." Hitomi said. "But I know you can take him."

"That's kind of you to say." Ein went to a window and looked out. "But defeating a man like him will take quite a lot of effort."

Someone knocked on the door before it opened. Ryu poked his head in with a very serious look.

"News footage of last night is on." Ryu said. "You'd better see this."

* * *

"…so far the current death toll has been estimated to be over fifty, including DOATEC security forces and civilians, with injury victims tallied in the hundreds." A tan suited television reporter said in French with English subtitles running underneath. "It is also reported that there are still those in critical condition at local hospitals."

Hayate stepped beside Ryu, while the sisters stood behind the couch. Hitomi sat next to her friend, Lei-Fang. Everyone in the room was glued to the set.

"They'll get to the good part soon." Lei-Fang said to the new arrivals.

"While the attack on the DOATEC owned tower, the third blatant attack on the DOATEC Corporation in less than six months, is surprising to say the least, what happened in front of the building tonight was described by eyewitnesses as 'beyond belief'." The anchorman said. "Two individuals armed with swords and various firearms fought one another after the two fell out of the tower together. Before we show this exclusive video footage of the fight, we would like to warn viewers that the footage contains graphic violence not suitable for younger viewers."

The screen cut to a shaky video that swept back and forth before it settled on two men, one in red, the other in blue, exchanging sword blows with frightening speed and force. The sound was a garble of screams and shouts from the crowd as well as the metallic booms of the sword blows.

"That's Dante." Tina giddily pointed at the screen.

"And that blue-wearing sword maniac." Jann Lee added.

The footage continued to show the battle including the man in blue summoning energy swords, Dante using gauntlets and grieves that channeled red electricity, men getting cut down by the man in blue and Dante using a grenade launcher. Everyone watched with un-breaking fascination. Then the two men suddenly turned into something inhuman.

"Sweet mother of mercy." Bass said in awe.

"What in the…hell…" Jann Lee said breathlessly. "What is this?"

"Hell on Earth." Ayane said.

"Demons?" Lei-Fang said, furious for some reason. "That's what they are, aren't they? More monsters? Like the things that tried to kill us back at my home?"

"Correct." Ryu said calmly.

"But Dante is…different." Kasumi added. "He's not like them."

"Oh, really?" Jann Lee snarled. "Cause he tossed us around like the guy in blue did."

"Indeed. But my sister is correct." Hayate said. "Dante wanted to defeat us. The other wanted to kill you."

"And almost succeeded." Bass mumbled.

"He's…a demon?" Tina asked, utterly mystified. "A real honest t' God, fire breathin', Devil-worshippin', hell spawn?"

"Well, not entirely." Kasumi answered, uneasy. "He's only half demon. In fact he fights as a demon hunter."

"Half-demon?" Tina started. "Then that means he's also part human. Which means half-demons look like normal humans an' not like them monsters, but are still powerhouses an' that would mean…" Suddenly Tina's eyes sparkled and her tone changed pitch to that of an excited schoolgirl. "That means that our kids would be super strong too!"

The thought of having grandkids to spoil made Tina's statement seem tantalizing to Bass, until he realized what would have to happen in order for him to have grandkids.

"Whoa, whoa, hold yer horses there, kiddo." Bass shot up, ignoring the shearing pain in his legs. "You ain't knockin' boots with nobody until there's a ring on that finger, ya hear?"

"Y'all can't tell me what t' do!" Tina fired back, snapping out of her daze. "An' I ain't gonna talk about my sex life t' my own pappy!"

"You were kinda saying it to everyone there a second ago." Jann Lee said.

"Don't get involved." Lei-Fang whispered through clenched teeth. "Just don't."

Ryu ignored the screaming match happening a mere few feet away and turned to Hayate.

"This won't be good for Helena. She'll try to go further into hiding, avoid the media and DOATEC."

"True." Hayate nodded. "But right now we don't have to worry about her. It's him."

Ryu looked back at the screen that had Vergil in his demon form frozen in mid fight.

"If he is the son of Sparda, like Dante, he'll be a very challenging opponent." Ryu said.

"I know." Hayate replied. "And from the looks of it, there's a lot of challenge in him."

A moment passed. The bickering from the Armstrongs continued and the television showed more clips of Dante and Vergil's fight.

"What are you thinking of, Hayate?" Ryu asked.

"Changing our plans." Hayate replied. "We still need Helena and I believe some recent events might actually play out in our favor."

"You want to use Dante to get to Helena." Ryu said, not asked. "Get him to get the information from her."

"Always observant, eh Ryu?" Hayate asked rhetorically. "Plus we can use him if Vergil attacks again. Do to him what he did to us."

The television showed Dante and Vergil, de-powered and slugging it out.

"Those two fight. Both get wore out. Then we come in to finish the job." Hayate said. "Then Donovan is all alone again."

"I doubt Vergil is the type of man who repeats his mistakes." Ryu interjected.

"Either way, we know what he can do, and his limits." Hayate said. "Now all we have to do is apply this knowledge."

Ryu looked at his friend then back to the television. Vergil made his escape with Dante firing after him.

"If I remember correctly, I was told that the one who killed Vergil was Dante himself." Ryu thought. "If that is true, than perhaps he will kill him again. I hope."

_Back alleyways of New York City_

_United States_

_Thursday-1:22 p.m._

The sun had already reached its highest point, turning the city of glass and steel into a pressure cooker. The mean streets of New York had evolved into inhospitable. Those outside had on as little as possible. Women who had no business wearing skimpy clothes wore their skimpiest. Men with coarse black hair on their chests screamed obscenities at each other as they hauled furniture into an apartment complex. Children frolicked in the downpour of opened fire hydrants.

"Man, what I wouldn't give to be at the beach right now." Lady said, adjusting her sunglasses. The demon hunter had exchanged her battle wear for a more casual tank top and Daisy Duke pants, an outfit that was getting her looks.

"Or a lake. Or a pool. Or any body of water." Rachel pulled at the collar of her shirt. Instead of her leather get-up, the half-Fiend wore a short-sleeved dark shirt and shorts. "Hell, I prefer our air-conditioned shitty motel right now."

The man leading the two, Gen-Fu, wore a Hawaiian shirt with jean shorts and a straw-hat to cement his status as a tourist. He did not utter a word.

"Ya know, unless all of us say something about the heat, the others just look like whiners." Lady called out.

"I'm fine." Gen Fu curtly replied in Chinese.

"You know, you've been like this since we found you at your temple." Rachel continued. "I know old men are supposed to be grumpy, but you don't have to pander to the stereotype."

"My temple was attacked, my pupil injured, and my granddaughter is hiding in fear." Gen Fu replied without looking back. "Forgive me if I don't feel bothered by something as trivial as the weather."

"Thanks for making us all feel like assholes." Lady thought. "I'm actually starting to think that the drunk would be better company."

The trio found their way into a more subdued part of the teeming metropolis. Most of the buildings were only one or two stories tall, a rather quaint neighborhood.

Gen Fu walked up to one of the uniform buildings. "This is it. He's here."

"From what I remember he tends to wander about a lot." Rachel examined the building, unimpressed. "How do you know he's even in this country?"

"I may be an old man, but my age contains decades of wisdom and knowledge." Gen Fu gruffly replied. "I know this man well. If there's anything the elderly do is keep in contact with others that are elderly."

Gen Fu stepped up and opened the door, a bell chimed as it did. Amused at the old man's confidence, Lady and Rachel followed after him.

The innards of the building were stuffed with antiquities, more than enough for three stores. What made the place even more fascinating were that none of the antiques could be placed in the early 1800s. Everything was before the industrial revolution. Swords, vases, furniture, knick-knacks, dolls, and stuff neither Rachel nor Lady could identify. What sold them on the weirdness of the place was an iron maiden used to prop open a door.

"Hello?" Lady called out, afraid to touch anything and be caught with a broken, and probably expensive, item. "Anyone here?"

Rachel looked around, trying to find movement between the gaps of each shelf. "I don't think he's here."

Gen Fu made his way to a thick oak countertop littered with tiny glass sculptures and jars with ancient candies and preserved foods. He tapped his hand on the bell.

"Like he's gonna hear that, but not us." Lady smiled.

"I hear ya, I hear ya." A voice thick with an accent drawled out from in the back room. "Hold yer horses."

Lady blinked as a frail old man with white bushy eyebrows that almost concealed his eyes and a long, equally white beard hobbled into the room and dusted his hands off. A bandana encased his head and his clothes looked worn and frayed.

"See anything you like? I'm having a sale on Russian dolls that…" The man narrowed his gaze for a moment before a big grin lifted his sagging jowls. "Well I'll be, Gen Fu. I haven't seen you in years." The man's body almost shook with laughter. Lady thought that a slight breeze could topple the man in his condition. "Say, how's that rug rat ya got? Last time I saw him he was yeah high." The man leveled his hand almost to the ground.

"My son is almost 40 years old and married with a child of his own." Gen Fu spoke matter-of-factly.

"Oh?" The old man stroked his beard. "Well, I'll be. Time sure does fly, doesn't it? Would y'all like some tea? Have a batch brewing as we speak in the back." The man thumbed behind him.

"No, thank you." Gen Fu said with genuine gratitude. "I'm afraid we're in a bit of a rush. We need your help."

"Of course. Anything for you, old friend." The old man hopped in a polished rocking chair and propped his feet up. "Why don't y'all get off your feet and tell me all about it? Who are your friends here?"

The trio sat upon wooden chairs that looked over a century old and hand carved. Lady had to admit that they were quite comfortable.

"They are Rachel and Lady." Gen Fu introduced. "Ladies, this is Muramasa, a master weapons smith and-"

"Now, now, let's not get into titles here, that's ancient history." Muramasa interrupted. "I'm just an old man selling some wares, that's all."

Gen Fu shifted in his seat. It appeared that he wanted to bypass the small talk and get right to the core of the problem.

"So, what can I help you with?" Muramasa took out a long pipe from a small box nearby and started stuffing tobacco in it.

"I need your assistance in a very serious matter." Gen Fu leveled. "We're looking for information about a place forgotten by time."

"Well then, you've come to the right place." Muramasa puffed on his pipe. "If there's one thing I know, it's about things that other people forget about."

The man tapped some of the loose tobacco into a nearby pot and returned the pipe to his lips with a content smile.

"We need to know where we can find the Temple of Redemption." Gen Fu said.

The old man inhaled deeply, held his breath for a moment, and then let out the smoke in a long fine stream.

"I'm not even going to ask why you need to know." Muramasa said in earnest. "But I do know that the temple was constructed in one of the most desolate places on Earth. No-man's land."

"We know that already." Lady said. "Do you know where it is?"

"Hmmmm." Muramasa leaned back and stroked his beard as he dug into his memory. "I do know its somewhere north…but…bah, I don't rightly recall."

"Please, you must try. It is very important." Gen Fu pressed.

"Now don't get your boxers in a bunch. I don't remember where it is, but I do know I have a book about it…" Muramasa looked around him. "Somewhere."

Lady looked about and saw a handful of books crammed in wherever there was space.

"I don't suppose you know what the book looks like, do you?" Lady asked.


	35. finding the road to hell

A/N: It has come to my attention that an individual may have been plagiarizing this fic. First of all, to be completely honest, I'm rather flattered that someone actually thinks my work is worth copying. However, as a writer and a journalist, I frown upon plagiarism in any shape or form. I took a peak at the fic in question and while the first chapter contains quite a bit of cutting and pasting of the first few chapters of TDF, the author has given me credit. I do feel that copying my work is still morally questionable. And to the author, if he or she is reading this, I'm not angry at you, but you are doing a bigger discredit to yourself than to me. That is all.

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: DMC owned by Capcom. DOA and NG owned by Team Ninja and Tecmo.

**Dead or Alive 4: The Devil Factor**

**Chapter 35: Finding The Road To Hell**

_5 miles south of Moscow_

_Russia_

_Thursday-2:24 p.m._

The cold winds seemed to pass through Dante's clothes. As a half-demon, Dante had a larger tolerance to the elements. He could feel the cold, but it would take lethal temperatures to make him even shiver, so he could see why the other girls' teeth clattered despite wearing thick parkas. Helena tried her best not to shake as she wore a dark black fur coat that looked more like a large unwieldy cape.

The plane had landed at a privately owned airstrip. Unlike most of the other places owned by DOATEC, the place did not look fancy and high-class. The squat tower was made of white metal and the only other standout feature was the landing strip itself.

"You always bring us to the coziest places, love." Christie yelled out through the winds.

Helena did not answer. Instead she beckoned Kokoro to move closer to her, for warmth or protection, Dante did not know.

A man wearing a thick white coat and dark shades marched up to Helena with two men in camouflage coats armed with black assault rifles. Dante wondered if perhaps the French lady accidentally stumbled upon a military base.

"Miss Douglass, welcome." The man said in a thick Russian accent. "This way please."

Helena followed the man back to the tower, leading Kokoro by the hand and flanked by the two armed men.

"I guess us lowly hired help have to escort ourselves." Christie snidely remarked.

"I never liked the red carpet treatment anyways." Dante said and followed Christie's lead.

The demon hunter reached into his coat's pocket and snuck a quick peak at the phone Ayane gave him. A small green light on the side was still on, although Dante did not know what the light meant. He hoped that the thing worked like the ninja girl said, although he wondered what would happen if Helena or her goons found it, or worse Christie.

As the group reached the tower, elevator doors slid open to reveal a large, rusty grate interior. It looked like a loading freight elevator. Everyone stepped in, the doors squealed shut, and the cabin rumbled as it started its slow descent.

"I suppose goin' somewhere that's not covered in pearls and ivory might make our pursuers confused," Dante said out loud. "But how does hidin' in this pit help us?"

"Don't judge a book by its cover, Dante." Helena said without looking at him.

Dante snorted, crossed his arms, and leaned against the walls.

Suddenly the grimy dirt walls behind the grating gave way to interlocking metal. After a thirty second descent, the doors opened to a posh hallway lined with artificial waterfalls pouring out of the mouths of lions chiseled out of marble.

"Excuse me while I set my face to stunned." Dante muttered sarcastically.

Christie snickered. "I don't suppose those things are pouring Champaign?"

Helena remained silent as she walked down the hallway, again flanked by the men with guns. She tossed her coat to the lead man.

"Report." She spoke.

"The DOATEC comm-grid is overflowing with messages between almost everyone. The security forces are trying to reorganize the European branch and the PR department is doing clean up on the fallout." The lead man said.

"And what of the board members?"

"Aside from yelling at the underlings, jittery, very jittery." The man shook his head. "There's talk about going into hiding."

"Typical for cowards." Helena said in disgust. "And that'll make tracking and eliminating them even more time consuming."

"Than shall I start 'cleaning' soon, Lady Helena?" Christie said in a faux syrupy voice of servitude.

"Not yet." Helena replied harshly. "There's something else we have to do first."

"And what's that? A bubble bath and herbal tea?" Christie mocked.

Helena whipped around and got in Christie's face. "In case you've obtained short-term memory lose, someone assaulted another DOATEC tower. Someone who has demons _and_ DOATEC in his pocket. Someone who isn't afraid to be put on television." She hissed the last part. "Someone who makes any of Donovan's monsters look like puppy dogs."

"Oh." Christie said in mock innocence.

"This isn't some hostile corporate takeover you see on the news, Christie." Helena spat. "This is a war, a goddamn war, so get your head out of your ass and get it in the game, because this is life or death now."

She spun on her heel and continued down the hallway followed by the three men. Kokoro, looking like a child watching her parents fight, nervously crept by before dashing after Helena.

"Sorry about my sister." She called back.

Christie blinked before settling into a smirk. "Life or death? Just who does she think she's speaking to?"

"I think you might have struck a nerve there." Dante said as he walked past.

"Did I?" She followed Dante. "Good to know."

Dante shook his head. "Ya know pissing off the boss ain't the brightest move."

"What she going to do? Cut my salary?" Christie snorted. "Besides, in case you've forgotten, I'm not planning on adding her to my Facebook page after this is all done."

Dante did not say anything. Helena's alliances always seemed fragile. He wondered if maybe she was not aware of it or just did not care.

Either way, he had a feeling that not everything would wrap itself up after they took down his brother. Dante hated cleaning up afterwards, especially if it meant cleaning up stuff that he did not do.

Dante continued walking and watched Helena's form, wondering if the French woman really had a grasp on things.

_Muramasa Shop_

_United States_

_Thursday-2:32 p.m._

Lady groaned as she skimmed through another thick tome before tossing it into the ever growing reject pile when she discovered that the book held a few plays written by Shakespeare. A little detail nibbled at the edges of her mind, the pages looked handwritten and she spotted a few notes written here or there. She pushed the thought away after remembering just what she needed to find.

"Just how many books are there in here?" Lady asked when she grabbed another book and pealed it open.

"A lot." Rachel eyed the pile that easily reached three feet high. "I'm gonna be pissed if it's not here and at another one of his little stores half-way around the world."

The trio used the backroom that Muramasa provided as he scoured his store, scooping up every book he could find so the others could search. No one had any idea on just how they could identify the book, but Muramasa said that they would know it when they saw it.

Gen Fu did not say anything. The man carefully analyzed the book he held in his hands, his eyes ticking back and forth the lines on the page. After a few moments, the Chinese man carefully closed the book and placed it neatly in the small tower of rejects next to him before opening another book.

"If it's worth doing, its worth doing right, eh?" Lady asked with a cocked eyebrow.

The man's eyes flicked up for a brief moment to meet hers before returning to the book.

Lady sighed and returned to searching fruitlessly.

Muramasa suddenly sprang through the door with another arm full of books.

"These are the last ones." The man set the books down in the shrinking search pile next to the reject pile. "If it ain't here, then I guess I never really had it."

"Wait, you mean you're not sure?" Lady asked, almost angry.

"Well, young missy, it's been a few years since I last took inventory here." Muramasa scratched his beard and looked at the ceiling. "Been meanin' to do it, but well, these things tend to slip the mind."

Lady groaned and returned to her book.

Rachel tossed another book into the pile and rubbed her neck. "I could use a drink right about now."

"How 'bout some tea?" Muramasa said. "It'll give ya the energy ya need. Lemme go get some."

The elderly Japanese man shuffled over to a table overflowing with papers, boxes, and various other doodads, including a tea set and a cheap portable burner. The man lifted the ancient looking pot off the burner and began filling small, white ceramic cups.

"Now where did I put that blasted tray?" The man mumbled to himself as he shifted through the loose contents of the table. "I coulda sworn it was right here."

Muramasa moved a few items around before pulling free a circular wooden tray. The tray dislodged a few things that tumbled to the floor, a few pencils, an empty plastic bottle, a few old coins, a book…a book?

Lady narrowed her vision, the book look older than any of the others the team examined. The cover had a distinct gothic design and a hide that resembled the cooked skin of an animal.

"Is that it?" Lady pointed to the book.

Muramasa blinked, like someone woke him from a stupor, and looked at his feet where the book in question lay.

"Oh, yes it is." The man bent over and picked it up. "In fact I remember that I put it aside this morning for you. Silly me."

Lady let her head fall into her hands.

"Put aside?" Rachel asked. "You knew we were coming?"

The man shrugged. "I have a feel for these things, you know?"

"Wow." Lady groaned.

Muramasa brought the book over and cracked it open. "Now, if my memory serves, this book contains nearly everything you need to know about the Temple of Redemption, its one of the original texts made by those who constructed it."

"One of?" Gen Fu asked. "You mean there's more?"

"One other. One for the priests, one for the architects. Although I'm not sure if the other still exists, these things can get lost with time." Muramasa said as he flipped through the pages.

"Like someone's mind." Lady thought to herself.

"Ah, here we go." Muramasa nodded. "The temple's location."

The two women scrambled to get a peak over the old man's shoulders. Gen Fu calmly stood to take a look. The artist had painstakingly rendered the map with as much detail as he could. She could see the marker for the temple, the cliffs nearby and the mountains. However, Lady could not recognize where exactly on the planet the map showed.

"I don't suppose this thing has a link to a MapQuest site, does it?" Lady asked.

"Oh, come now, don't you know geography?" Muramasa pointed to the map. "This is located in…"

_Donovan's Laboratory_

_United States_

_Thursday-2:33 p.m._

"Russia." Donovan proudly proclaimed. "Or more precisely, the archipelago Severnaya Zemlya in the Arctic Ocean. They are a chain of islands with four major islands and several smaller land masses. The region is uninhabited, except for an artic base."

The island cluster hovered and slowly rotated in the holo-tank.

"The exact location of the temple is here." A small island lit up at Donovan's touch. The island grew, pushing the other islands out of tank, and hung in the air. "Schmidt Island. It's approximately 180 square miles and is the southernmost island in the cluster."

Vergil looked at the floating island, his face without surprise or intrigue.

"It took a while to decipher the book. At first I thought it was written in a forgotten language until I noticed some similarities to a few other ancient languages when I did some research. It's actually an invented language composed of…"

"Where is it exactly?" Vergil interrupted.

"Here." Donovan pointed to the center of the island. "According to the book, its right smack dab in the center. Here's the interesting part, I read reports on how the island has been investigated by research teams and mapped with aerial and satellite photographs. No one seems to found the temple."

"Which means…" Donovan trailed off.

"The temple is underground." Vergil finished.

"Bravo." Donovan adjusted his glasses. "In fact, the temple appears to be below the ocean line, deep in the ice."

A line representing a tunnel snaked its way from the bottom of the map until it touched a small sphere that lit up

"I must say, I'm quite impressed, humans so long ago were not only capable of reaching such a wasteland, but also creating a temple underground." Donovan said earnestly. "They're technology must have been quite advanced…for its time period."

"I'll alert the noble prize committee." Vergil said dryly. "Again, this Gentleman offers us what we need at just the right time. How…convenient."

"Yes, I also believe he has ulterior motives." Donovan cupped his chin. "But for what purpose? What does he get out of all this?"

"If he wants us to obtain our goals, I'm not going to complain, but I've been burned by idiots like him before." Vergil said. "In the meantime, I'll find the Jewel of the Forsaken."

"I've already made arrangements with an icebreaker ship to take us to the site." Donovan said as he watched Vergil walk away. "But Helena will not doubt find out about it, she might try to sabotage…"

"If she does, she'll die." Vergil said over his shoulder. "Once we open the temple, she won't be any of our concern anymore."

"And what of your brother? Doesn't he protect her? Plus your most trusted general is now dead."

"Dead, but not gone." Vergil looked at the Doku sword hanging at his waist. "Besides, my brother can barely protect himself from me. He needs to learn that no one can truly protect someone, not all the time."

The mechanical doors slid open and Vergil stepped out.

_Muramasa Shop_

_United States_

_Thursday-2:34 p.m._

"Perfect, just perfect." Lady shook her head. "We find the damn thing and its right in the middle of fuckin' nowhere."

"Not nowhere, right here." Muramasa pointed at the page. "These islands off the coast of Russia."

"I know, I mean…nevermind." Lady huffed. "It's gonna be tricky gettin' there. I doubt there are many tourist ships that have the Artic Ocean in their advertisements."

"We've found ways before, we can find them again." Rachel said.

"Well before you start packing your bags, you need to know that without the keys, you can't enter this hollowed ground." Muramasa said.

"I'm sure some well placed explosives can create a door for us." Lady smirked.

"The temple isn't a bank you can break into." Muramasa replied calmly. "It's protected by ancient magic, child. Using anything but the jewels will be a waste of time. The temple was designed to keep the evil in and anyone else out."

"And we don't even have one jewel." Gen Fu grumbled.

"Which only makes finding Vergil all the more pressing." Lady sighed and straightened back up. "Trying to find him now will be a waste of time, we don't know where the last jewel is, but we do know where he will go. Instead of running around blind, I think we should prepare a little welcoming celebration for when Vergil comes to the temple."

"I don't know." Rachel crossed her arms. "I mean, we're essentially trying to stop him when he's a quarter mile from the finish line. One screw up and he'll unleash Armageddon in minutes. Plus who knows how long we'll have to wait while we freeze our asses off."

"I'm sorry. Did I interrupt you before you told us your better plan?" Lady asked with dripping sarcasm.

Rachel just looked back with frustration.

"Ladies, please, don't fight." Muramasa closed the book. "Young things like you have so much to do without bickering with each other."

No one moved for a moment, everyone looked at the ground, trying to come up with something.

"Damn," Lady hissed. "I wish Dante was here."

"What?" Rachel asked.

"Nothing." Lady breathed deeply.

_Donovan's Sanctuary_

_Russia_

_Friday-4:22 a.m._

Helena looked over the half dozen monitors mounted on her father's thick wooden desk. Each monitor held information of the internal workings of DOATEC, specifically its current finances and the board members so called 'secured messaging system'. The DOATEC IM services were indeed heavily coded and difficult to crack for an outsider. However, all those things did not mean much to someone who had access to the master system, like Helena did.

So far she saw many requests for added security and huge amounts of cash reserves being moved around, mostly to DOATEC security forces and private bank accounts, it looked like some of the board members were getting ready to jump ship; despicable, but not very surprising.

What truly held her interest was the seven figure cash flow into Donovan's miscellaneous account. Normally such large amounts of cash going into a big wig's grubby hands would not receive much attention since such an occurrence was actually normal. Usually the 'miscellaneous' section in a board members financial statements meant cash for women, gambling, yachts, and the rest. But when it came to Donovan, it meant money for his 'ethically questionable' projects. The cash did not draw her attention, but the rather small amount. Donovan's expenses easily broke the nine figure threshold, why would he need such an amount…and why did he try to hide it?

The door creaked open, letting in a spear of light into her dark realm. Helena scowled, but did not look away from the screens.

"Whoever it is, go away, I'm busy." Helena growled.

"Too bad, cause I'm bored." Dante said as he sauntered in.

Helena raised her vision to see the red wearing man use his foot to pull on the guest chair in front of her desk, fall into the seat, and throw his legs up on the desk.

"So…what's goin' on?" Dante leaned back with his hands behind his head. "Cruisin' for porn?"

Helena huffed, raised a small remote control, and tapped the only button with her index finger. The door closed by itself.

"Ah, that's badass." Dante tipped his head back to see the door. "Know where I can get one? Cause then I can slam the door on Enzo without gettin' up."

"What do you want, Dante?" Helena coldly asked.

"A fine howdy-do to you too." Dante replied. "Jeez, what's eating your croissant?"

"I'm trying to work and some annoying little shit is bothering me." Helena said through clenched teeth.

"Really? Who's bothering ya?"

Helena shot a glare only to be answered by Dante's grinning face.

"Well if ya must know, I'm just wonderin' how you were doin'." Dante lazily said.

"_You're _worried about _me?_" Helena replied slowly.

"Like I said, I'm bored."

Helena glared for a moment longer before returning to her duties. "I'm investigating on the DOATEC board members and Donovan."

"You've been doing that almost twelve hours straight now." Dante said. "Have you eaten or slept or taken a shit since?"

"I've had my meals here, I go when I have to, and I'll have plenty of time to sleep when I'm dead." Helena curtly replied.

"I see my talk with you at the tower has sunk in." Dante rolled his eyes. "I don't suppose yer also looking for caskets online too." Dante put his fingers up like a television screen, thumbs and forefingers out. "I see ya in white silk. Ya like white, I'm guessing, it's a theme."

"Again, I am not planning to die, just not to live." Helena mumbled.

"Oh, that totally clears things up." Dante said with dramatic sarcasm. "My heartfelt apologies."

"I mean I'm not planning for anything after this is finished." Helena replied. "When Kokoro takes over as president, I'll no longer be needed so…" she shrugged. "I'll just figure it out as I go, after I deal with Christie."

"Yer pretty sure of yourself." Dante mused. "Gettin' some of that self-confidence back?"

"I took her down before; I can easily do it again." Helena allowed herself a small smile.

"I suppose." Dante said. "But you're still spoutin' bullshit."

Helena's head shot up. "Excuse me?"

"Is there an excuse for you?" Dante said. "Sorry, couldn't help myself. Anyway, you've been talkin' 'bout this plan of yours like it's utterly foolproof. That once you get rid of Donovan and the other board-o-jack off guys that it'll be smooth sailings. And that your little sister will become this…I dunno…corporate guru…Jesus…messiah…person. I mean seriously? A sheltered Japanese teen is gonna run the largest corporation in the world? Am I the only one who sees the flaw in this plan?"

"She'll get training." Helena returned to the monitors. "I already have some of the best teachers lined up for her."

"Uh-huh." Dante said in a highly mocking tone. "Listen, I'm not the type of guy to watch the stock exchange and get a hard-on when I read the Wall Street Journal, but even I know that kid's gonna be in over her pretty head. Your old man was supposed to be a financial genius, one of a kind, despite not having the ability to keep it in his pants."

"And so shall she. I see you got your new coat." Helena said, hoping to change the subject. "How do you like it?"

Dante stretched out his arms, showing a coat of similar design to his old one without the battle scars. "Not bad, surprised ya knew my size. Gonna take a bit to break it in, though." He put his hands back behind his head. "But back on topic, I've noticed another little problem in your oh-so-perfectly sculpted plan."

Helena groaned. It looked like he only had a short attention span when he wanted to.

"The whole killing Donovan and others thing, that part I get." Dante said without a trace of humor. "But do ya honestly believe that will be it? Don't be a sap. People like those board member fuck-Os are a dime a dozen in the corporate world. Donovan, on the other hand, might not be the most common form of scum bag, but there are people who are just as rotten. Do ya really want Kokoro to have to put up with those types of assholes the rest of her life?"

"She's strong. Stronger than you give her credit for." Helena snapped back. "I can handle it, so can she."

"Oh, yeah. And you turned out so well."

Another glare came from her, this one more intense than the last.

"Yeah she's tough." Dante said. "But does she want to be?"

Helena did not reply.

"You haven't asked her, haven't ya?"

"It's her destiny to rule this company. To make it honorable again."

"_She_ decides her destiny. No one else, not even you." Dante snapped back. "I thought we went over this."

"This is bigger than her or you or me." Helena almost yelled. "Millions of lives are in this equation."

"I'll bet, but the question I'm posing to you is whether you want a young girl to run a corporation who doesn't want to?" Dante pressed.

"She…she'll adapt." Helena fought back the choking feeling in her throat.

Dante slammed his hands on her desk, making Helena almost jump out of her seat.

"For Christ's sake, wake the fuck up!" Dante pushed his face closer. "You are not the center of the fucking universe! Your word is not law and you don't get to decide who does what with their life, got it?"

Helena could feel herself gapping, but could not snap herself out of it.

"Look, what happened in your life sucks, believe me, family is my least favorite topic. But that does not give you a blank check to do whatever the fuck you want. Get off your high horse before I decide to make for the exit. Seriously, I told more reasonable would be employers to go fuck themselves."

Dante plopped back into his chair with a bone deep sigh. "Man, had to get that off my chest, been bugging me for days."

Looking up at the ceiling, Dante waited for some scathing remarks and ramblings that he had come to expect. Most likely more talk about how 'nothing else' mattered and other fatalistic speeches.

A sniffle caught his ear, followed by a full on choking sound. Dante snapped his head to Helena who was fighting off the urge to cry.

"Oh, crap," Dante sat up. "Um…didn't think you'd break down like this…uh…um…I love what you've done with your hair?"

"You…you can't…" Helena said between sobs. "You can't…leave…you can't. You said…you'd…you'd…I can't do this without…" Helena slammed her fists on the table. "Damn it! I'm not supposed…I'm better than…_damnez-le_…" Helena started muttering in French.

Dante sighed, stood, walked around, and knelt down in front of Helena.

"Hey, look at me." Dante tipped her chin up. He saw tears swelling up under her eyes, threatening to drain down her face. "Look, I…" A sigh came before he continued. "I ain't gonna leave, ok? I was just…"

Helena ripped herself away, hauled open a drawer, and frantically dug into its contents.

"Whoa." Dante raised his hands, like he had accidentally touched Helena's crazy button. "The hell's gotten into you?"

Helena did not reply, instead she continued tearing through the drawer until she pulled out a small amber bottle of prescription pills. As she fumbled with the top, Dante's hand snapped in and snatched the bottle like an iguana's tongue plucking an insect off a leaf.

"Huh." Dante held up the bottle to study the label. "Interesting. Pretty powerful stuff here. Think this shit can go for major bucks on the street."

"Give me that!" Helena snarled and lunged for the pills. "Now!"

Dante spun around her, causing her to fall out of her chair. "In fact, I'm not sure this is legal in the states. But than again, all sorts of shit is legal in Euro-land."

"Damn it, Dante, I need that!" Helena made another clumsy attempt, only to kiss the floor.

"No, you don't." Dante squatted down, holding the bottle with his thumb and forefinger. "I'm no stranger to things that are for 'temporary coping', and lemme tell ya, there's a reason they put the temporary in the title."

"Stop spouting those self-help slogans and give me the damn bottle!" Helena roared. Dante encased the pills in his fist before Helena made a grab for them.

"Oh, yeah, you don't have a problem." Dante rolled his eyes. "I'm almost tempted to see if you'll turn tricks for these."

"You don't know what I've been through!" Helena spat. "You don't know what I've lost!"

"Yeah, I do." Dante replied quietly. "I had my mother taken from me too."

Helena's anger started to ebb. "What?" Her hand still clutched his fist.

Dante drew a breath before he started. He hated going down memory lane. "I told you that my dad turned on the demons and married my mother. Well he pissed off a lot of the evil fuckers when he did all that. At first it was no biggy since there weren't many left and none of 'em could take my dad, even if they all teamed up. We had our ups and downs, but nothing serious."

The French woman remained silent, her eyes never wavering from his.

"But then one day my dad wasn't there anymore and those pissed off demons decided to pay their respects." Dante looked away as old feelings came bubbling to the surface. "I hid, because that's all I could do, and I watched her die."

Dante sat down. Helena's grip slipped from his hands. "I got 'em back though. Took a couple years, but I got 'em, every last one." Dante huffed in amusement. "But surprise, surprise, I still felt like shit. So I drank and I fought and I had my fair share of womanly company. But the drinking only lasted until I woke up in my own vomit, the fighting only helped until there was no one left to fight, and I think my second longest relationship, after Christie, lasted about twelve hours and that ended when she told me she had to go back to her husband."

Helena pushed herself up and rested her body on her knees.

"Anyway, to sum all this shit up, you take this road," Dante held up the pills, "and you're life is still gonna suck. Now, I'm not gonna say that my life is a bed of roses, but I found a way to make it not suck so much."

Helena waited for Dante to keep talking. After a few seconds, she finally contributed.

"What…was it? What did you find?"

His smile returned. "Sorry, it don't work that way. What I found worked for me. You gotta find what works for you."

Dante's fist opened and he presented the bottle to Helena.

She stared at the pale plastic container for a moment before carefully taking it from Dante's hand. Helena turned it over, rereading the label, counting the remaining pills, feeling the cap with her fingertips. Her eyes shot up to Dante and back to the bottle. Without looking, Helena pitched the bottle. It clattered away in the darkness.

Helena wiped her eyes with the palm of her hand. "Nice speech. Maybe you should get one of those day time talk shows."

"Then I'd have to shoot myself on general principle." Dante replied. "Now I'd like to move on before I actually start to feel feelings."

Helena sputtered out a small laugh and took Dante's offered hand. With ease, Dante crisply, but gently, got her back on her feet. Instead of returning to her work, Helena lingered, studying Dante's hands. Normally she wore gloves to protect her manicured nails, especially when she fought, but her personal grooming had started to suffer recently. She still used her skin cream, tonics, and washes irregularly the past few days. Trivial things, really, but she had been doing them for so long that it had become routine, like brushing her teeth. However she had not seen her personal stylist, manicurist, and pedicurist in weeks

She fanned her fingers apart and slipped them in-between Dante's thicker and longer digits. His skin was rougher than hers, most likely from his gun and sword handling.

She looked at Dante's face. It was blank, neutral, but she saw some understanding in his eyes, maybe because of the bond of loss they shared or perhaps he knew how wallowing in misery could drain someone so completely. Or, more likely, he understood how to humor a woman on a verge of an emotional breakdown. Something told her that he dealt with a lot of crazies during his life.

Something compelled her to move her head forward, not suddenly, but gradually. Her body followed suit, pressing against Dante, rocking her heels to get a few centimeters closer. Dante's free arm slithered around the small of her back. Her arm pressed against his chest. She closed her eyes.

The computer emitted a loud beep.

Helena's forehead bounced of Dante's nose, snapping his head back.

"Motherf…" Dante bellowed, unable to continue the curse, holding his face.

"_'Je suis désolé_." Helena said, flustered. "Sorry, sorry. I didn't…I set the computer…it spooked me. I'm so sorry."

She hurried to her desk and tapped at the keyboard. "I had the computer run a trace on some funds from Donovan, it must have found something."

"I'm fine, thanks for asking." Dante said still holding his nose.

"Really, I'm sorry." Helena said, cutting a quick look to Dante as she manipulated the keyboard. "Do you need a tissue or anything?"

"Nah, I'm good." Dante took his hand away and took some practice sniffs. "Yeah, no blood. Love being a part-demon sometimes, I save a bundle on band-aids and hospital bills."

"I see." Helena said like she was not paying attention. "Huh. This is curious."

"What? Did Professor dickwad buy himself a new Mazda filled with butterscotch pudding and hookers?" Dante looked at the screen over the French opera singer's shoulder.

"No." Helena smiled. "He just purchased a nuclear powered icebreaker. Interesting."

"Icebreaker? Isn't that some type of gum?"

"Not this. Icebreakers are specially created ships designed for breaking through ice-covered waters." Helena replied. "Apparently our good professor is planning a trip to somewhere quite chilly."

"Do you know where?"

Helena's fingers danced across the keyboard. "I don't know, but the boat's stationed in Russia at the moment. He's purchased the ship, a crew, supplies, but no maps. There's nothing on file or online about his destination. Which means he knows exactly where he wants to go."

"So all we gotta do is follow the boat." Dante replied.

"Yes, but…" Helena leaned into her hand and furrowed her brow. "Donovan's much better at covering his tracks then this. Either his losing his touch or he needs this boat as soon as possible."

"A six-pack says that my brother's eggin' him on." Dante stood straight.

Helena shook her head. "This still doesn't make any sense. What are they after?"

"Dunno, don't care." Dante put a fist into his hand. "Cause I'm go roadhouse on both their asses."

Helena laughed. "I'll make sure you get the chance. But first, I'll think I'll have someone look into this a bit further."

_Unknown location_

_Russia_

_Friday-6:22 a.m._

Bayman gulped down his coffee and closed his laptop. He kicked the foot of his sofa as he walked past, jolting Leon from his sleep.

"Wake up, old man." Bayman set another coffee cup on the makeshift table. "Just got a job."

Leon groaned and sat up, throwing aside the cheap blanket. "What's she want us to do now?"

"Info job." Bayman sat in an old recliner. "Donovan just bought himself a boat and we gotta get the who, what, when, where, and why."

"Damn." Leon took a long swig. "She's got us doing spook stuff now? I ain't a spy, I'm a mercenary."

"And I'm an assassin and you and I both know that information can be just as deadly as any gun." Bayman reprimanded. "But I know what you mean and I've been thinking…"

"What's on your mind?"

"According to Ms. Douglass, Donovan really dropped the ball on this. He left a paper trail a mile wide on this boat of his and I figure why just do a snoop job on the boat and dig a little deeper."

"You want to follow the money." Leon said. "Go straight to Donovan."

"Donovan usually filters the cash through all sorts of banks of some rather reprehensible countries. But if he put a rush job on this order, than he probably didn't have time to use his tricks. I have information about the chopper stunt he pulled last night and if we can compare that to his boat money then we'll be able to find the weasely prick and see if he can outsmart a 9mm round."

Leon raised an eyebrow. "A bit obsessive, aren't we?"

"He tried to kill me." Bayman calmly replied. "What would you do?"

"Noted." Leon downed the rest of his drink. "But what about that guy, the man in blue? He's gonna be a tough nugget to crack."

"He's not our problem. Donovan's the brains and this man in blue has to be the muscle, so I doubt they're inseparable. Besides, I have a feeling he doesn't care too much into Donovan's safety."

"And you know this how?"

"I have yet to meet anyone connected to Donovan who does."

"Alright." Leon stood. "We also know that Dante can hold his own against his brother, should worse come to worst."

"I couldn't care less about Dante or his brother." Bayman said. "Donovan is all that matters. We'll be able to handle anything else he has."

Leon looked impassively at Bayman for a moment before he muttered. "I pray to God you're right."

_25 miles outside Paris_

_France_

_Friday-9:22 a.m._

Ayame straightened out her kimono for the third time in 15 minutes. Almost all her life she had been raised in seclusion at the Mugen Tenshin village like all the other women who did not become kunoichi. Aside from seeing a few sites and cities in Japan, she had never traveled outside her home country, until recently. First her kidnapping, then her relocation to an American DOATEC Tower, then to Dante's shop, and now she found herself in a cheap motel off a dusty road in France. Culture shock was a term she had heard from her daughters before when they spoke of the exotic locations of the DOA tournament bouts and now she found herself immersed in the sensation. It was quite…unsettling, like she had wandered into the wrong restroom.

Judging by her roommate's posture, she was also not feeling too comfortable with her surroundings.

"So, Miyako." Ayame hesitantly asked. "Your daughter is in the Dead or Alive fighting tournament as well?"

"Yes, although she did so against my will. Wanted to prove herself. When she came back, I grounded her." Miyako replied. "Still, I was…am…proud of her."

Ayame smiled. "When my children entered the tournaments, I was…upset because…well, they did not enter to test their abilities they had more…personal reasons. It was…difficult to bear."

"But you're proud of them?" Miyako said more like a statement than a question.

"I am always proud of them." Ayame smiled sadly. "Even when they are forced into doing things they wish they didn't…" Ayame could not finish her sentence.

Miyako nodded like she understood. Silence followed, so much for breaking the ice talking about family.

The hotel room held only the bare essentials, one bed, a desk, a chest with a television set, and a bathroom with a shower. Ayame had a feeling that the place was more for passerby's and people who wanted privacy for a night than for people looking for a weekend get away. The two women sat at the foot of the bed, facing the dark screen television, trying to think of something to say, but unable to will out the words.

The sound of the door knob turning made both women heartbeats speed up for a brief moment.

"Well, I have some good news and I have some bad news." Eliot said, scratching his head as he closed the door behind him. "The good news is that I got my parents to forward the money for the room."

Both women leapt to their feet, eager to talk to someone that did not have tension around them.

"That's good, very good." Ayame blurted out and bowed. "I am so sorry we had to have you pay for the room, but, well, I do not have any money with me."

"Nor do I, I'm afraid." Miyako said sheepishly and followed Ayame's bow with her own. "However, I will make sure to pay you back in full once I have access to my bank account."

"Forget it, it's nothing, really." Eliot said. "I'm just surprised you two did not want me to call Ms. Douglass for help."

"I…don't think she would…I mean, I believe that…" Ayame struggled.

"We believe that whoever attacked us has to be linked to Helena or DOATEC." Miyako took over. "We should be cautious about who we contact from now on."

"Uh…huh." Eliot eyes flicked from one woman to the other.

"What is the bad news?" Ayame asked, trying not to squirm. She hated lying, especially to a boy whose only crime was being too helpful.

"Ah, that." Eliot spoke in a defeated tone. "My parents want me to come home tomorrow. Possibly forever. Apparently leaving Master Gen Fu's temple and going to France by myself without so much as a text message is a hot button issue with my mother."

"But you're not by yourself. You have us to look after you." Miyako spoke, concerned that his parent's might be worried sick about him.

"Yeah, about that." Eliot looked at the floor. "I didn't tell her about you two because the last thing she needed to hear was that I was in a hotel room with two women. Even if you were catholic nuns she'd have the biggest fit in her life. I also skipped the part about going to America. She thinks a miniature war breaks out at every street corner in the 'former colonies'." Eliot made the quotation sign with his fingers.

"Your mother is overreacting." Ayame said. "You should have let us talk to her, explain things."

"It's alright, she thinks disaster is around every corner." Eliot sighed. "She'll calm down when I get home.

"You shouldn't concern yourself too much." Miyako said. "Like all good mothers, she's just worried about you."

"I know, it's just…" Eliot sat on the bed. "She's been like that my whole life. Putting me in private schools, never letting me go out past eight, taking me to the hospital for a bloody nose. I had to practically beg on my hands and knees for my mum to give her permission to train with Gen Fu. It's…trying at times."

Miyako and Ayame took up the empty spaces on either side of Eliot, waiting for him to continue.

"My mom wanted a full litter, she called it. Two boys, two girls." Eliot chuckled. "But all they got was me."

"That makes you all the more special to her." Miyako placed a hand on his shoulder.

The touch made Eliot suddenly snap into attention and jump to his feet. "Um, right then," Eliot said, his face almost completely red. "Well, we should get some shut eye. Got to catch a plane in the morning."

"We?" Ayame said.

"I exchanged my first class ticket for three coaches." Eliot said. "You didn't think I'd leave you two here, did you?"

The two women realized that if he did leave, they would be lost.

"Don't worry about my mum, she won't turn you away." Eliot stretched. "Well, you two take the bed; I'll sleep on the floor."

"On the floor?" Ayame said in horror. "Absolutely not. You paid for this room, you shouldn't have to sleep on the filthy floor just to accommodate us."

Eliot looked at the shag carpet. "It doesn't look that bad. I mean I slept on worse."

"Don't be silly." Miyako lifted Eliot's chin. "We'll share the bed."

Eliot blinked. "We'll do what now?"

"Share the bed." Miyako repeated. "Now brush your teeth and well turn in."

Eliot stood absolutely still with huge eyes as the two mothers got ready for bed. Miyako started undoing her kimono's obi and retired to the bathroom while Ayame undid her ponytail and shook her head, fanning out her hair.

"Oh, bugger." Eliot whispered.


	36. in the arms of the devil

A/N: First off, I wanna say that I'm as skeptical about the new DMC game as everyone else. I have no problem with a reboot, but why does the new Dante look like a reject from the Twilight films? Also, thank God finals are over, now I can focus on what's important, writing and gaming. And finally, yours truly has decided to start work on another fic. Not my DMC story I bailed on, but a series of short one-shot stories. Keep an eye on the Mass Effect section next month. That is all.

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: DMC owned by Capcom. DOA and NG owned by Team Ninja and Tecmo.

**Dead or Alive 4: The Devil Factor**

**Chapter 36: In The Arms of The Devil**

_Hotel Le Six_

_France_

_Friday-10:11 a.m._

"Fuck!" Trish kicked an empty chair, shattering it like glass and scaring the hotel clerk. "Where the fuck are they?" The clerk sputtered in French, angry, but still terrified. "Sorry. I mean _Désolé_." Trish said, regaining her cool. "Uh… _Faites vous savez où _(Do you know where)…um… _je peux trouver _(I can find)…"

"_Sortir_!" The man pointed at the door.

Trish groaned and started walking out. She had scoured Paris for hours trying to find Ayame and Eliot. After the ninja girls pointed out the hotel they were using, they vanished after telling her the room number, eager to get to their brother's side. It was nice seeing them smiling. Her giddy feeling was short lived when she found the room empty and the staff clueless about their whereabouts. After waiting a few hours, she decided to see if perhaps the girls accidentally pointed out the wrong hotel in their flighty mood and search the neighboring establishments…after she took care of the unpaid bill. The staff was rather insistent on that.

A few more hours later, and a few dozen hotels searched, Trish felt like she needed to strangle someone.

Plus wearing black leather on a sunny day was not making her job better.

Her body was screeching at her to get something to eat and just pass out for the rest of the day.

But, she gave her word to the girls, and she could not look at herself in the mirror if she willingly abandoned a defenseless mother and a young teen just so she would knock off for lunch and catch forty winks.

She gave a thought to calling the girls for help, but she knew that she would get an earful from that purple haired girl and a guilt trip from the auburn girl.

Sucking in a deep breath, Trish walked down the sidewalk with her thumbs hooked into her leather pants. She passed by a boutique done up with ebony wooden frames and spotted a white, billowy dress with matching flowery bonnet. Just slowed up a tad to admire the handy work, entertained the thought of a quick try on, and then continued on.

Things began playing around in her head, Vergil, Dante, the girls, the demons. They were a concern, but they did not absorb all of her thoughts. It was funny such matters would drive a normal person crazy, but to her, it was just business as usual. But it was not always like that until she found a way to handle it long ago. Deal with the problem, one step at a time.

First she had to find the people entrusted to her care. Then she could worry about the apocalypse or whatever the bad guys were planning.

Speaking of which, she had felt a dark presence following her since the day began. The presence was not particularly powerful, so she decided not to confront it immediately. Instead it would be better to play dumb to see how long it would follow her and perhaps later she could put the screws to it and find out who send it.

Pushing her sunglasses up her nose, she smiled and looked up at the cloudless, bright sky.

"How could such a beautiful day feel like such shit?" Trish sighed.

_Douglass' Sanctuary_

_Russia_

_Friday-11:07 p.m._

Helena tossed in her bed, unable to obtain sleep. Frustration started to make her joints lock up. Her bed and pillows were made of Egyptian silk and a nearby stereo gently sent out the sounds of the beach, something that usually helped her sleep when she was a child. It had been years since she used the technique as she had found…another way to help her sleep. But since her talk with Dante, she had abandoned her dependency on pills…with ill effect.

Her heart was beating erratically. Sometimes she felt like all the energy in her body was getting sucked out. She felt like her body was slightly…off. She was not in pain or felt anxiety, but she just felt uncomfortable, unable to relax. Worst yet, nothing made her feel any better, a glass of warm milk, a cool, dark room, even a nice hot bath with scented oils. She had even tried…Christie's idea of sleeping in a more…natural way. She felt dead tired, yet sleep continued to evade her.

After a few more minutes of tossing and fluffing her pillow she groaned, pulled on her lamp's chain, slipped on her red satin robe, and walked out the door.

She rubbed her eyes and pushed back a lock of stray golden hair as she walked down the darkened corridors. Everything was so quiet, yet she knew that Russian machinery and a platoon of for hire ex-Russian soldiers were keeping the area safe while the harsh arctic wind whipped around tons upon tons of snow and ice.

She kept a hand near her chest to pull her robe closed to keep the warmth in. Her feet felt cold against the marble floor. Her lone footsteps echoed in the hallway. She stopped by Kokoro's room and peeked inside. A smile came over her at the sight of her little sister curled up in her bed. The teen had slept most of the day but turned in at 9 p.m. on the dot. Helena had worried that her sister would turn bitter towards the French woman; instead she had adopted a more…friendlier tone, maybe the realization that being alone in a remote part of the world had put a scare into the girl and she did not want to shun away the comfort of family.

She gently closed the door and moved on, passing by Christie's room, knowing that it would be empty and moved to the next door, Dante's and peered inside. Her suspicions were proven true. Christie, most likely naked, was sound asleep, her back facing the wall and the sheets wrapped around her and the bed a mess. Christie's bare back, long legs, and feathery white hair were in full view, but what was missing was the other feathery haired individual.

"Looking for someone?"

Helena almost screamed at the sudden male voice next to her ear. Dante smirked, crossed his arms, and leaned against the wall, still in full gear.

"Dante." Helena said when she was sure her voice would not crack. "You're still up?"

"I'm a night owl." Dante shrugged. "How 'bout you? Can't sleep?"

"Yes." Helena closed the door, hoping not to wake Christie. "It's tough to do without my usual nightcap."

"Ah." Dante nodded. "Going cold turkey can be difficult."

"I see that she had no trouble sleeping." Helena nodded her head to the door. "I'm surprised she didn't wear you out as well."

"Actually we took a break tonight." Dante chuckled. "Instead I challenged her to an old Irish drinking contest."

"What contest?" Helena felt like she was talking to a college kid.

"Do you know quarters?" Dante stretched out. Helena shook her head. "Of course you wouldn't. See you put drinks in front of both players and the players take turns trying to bounce a quarter off the table and land it in the other guy's drink. If they do, the other guy has to drink it. Simple."

"I see." Helena raised an eyebrow. "I take it you won?"

"I think so." Dante scratched his nose. "I mean, we were using straight vodka with big glasses. And I didn't have any quarters on me. She did have some…pound…sterling on her or whatever. Anyway, all I remember was comparing football to soccer…or as she put it "proper football", a through discussion on why there are no good taco places in England, and I believe a strip tease followed. I really don't remember the rest."

"So how are you sure you two didn't become…intimate." Helena almost spat out the last part.

"I woke up with my clothes still on." Dante replied. "Plus I remember catching her before she smashed her head against the floor when she blacked out. Although doing that twirling move she did on the bed post would make anyone dizzy."

Helena groaned and put her hand to her face in weariness.

"Yeah, she's a character." Dante admitted.

An awkward moment passed before Helena broke the silence. "You wouldn't happen to know how long this…withdrawal will last, do you?"

"It varies." Dante said. "A few days, a week, maybe. I've heard months depending."

Helena sighed in frustration. "Great."

Another paused followed. Helena found herself unable to look at him in the eye. "Um, let's talk somewhere else…away from…" Helena nodded her head to the door.

With a chuckle Dante pushed off the wall and followed.

_Unknown Location_

_Friday-11:10 p.m._

Vergil stood with his hands behind his back with Yamato in grasp and Doku on his waist. Blackness nearly surrounded him, save for a lone candle nearby, casting shadows.

Three figures suddenly appeared behind him, his generals had finally reported in. Bolverk's wolves, Freki and Geri, flanked their master.

"So, we found what we've been looking for?" Raidou asked with folded arms. "The temple?"

"Indeed." Vergil replied. "All we need to find now is the last jewel. Then everything will come together."

"And then all that power will be yours." Marller purred, regarding Vergil with predatory eyes. "By the way, when you crown yourself king, will you be looking for a queen?"

"I hardly consider you 'wife' material." Raidou coldly said.

"Like you're a prize yourself." Marller shot back with an edge to her voice.

"Bitch."

"Psycho."

"Enough." Vergil turned around. "We are close to victory, but we would look like idiots if we stumbled now. We just need to find the Jewel of the Forsaken. And that means following that woman from the ninja village, Ayame."

"I'll see to her." Raidou stepped forward, a smirk on his face.

"I'll bet you will." Marller rolled her eyes. "Vergil, darling, I think this situation requires a woman's touch. And no one knows more about the hunt than yours truly."

"Agreed," Vergil replied. "She's hiding it somewhere and if she's had any form of training from her people, I doubt torture would loosen her tongue. We have to plan our steps carefully."

"Carefully?" Raidou almost spat. "So far all you have done is thrown us at the enemy and now two of us have fallen. Just how many more of us do you plan to sacrifice?"

-I agree.- Bolverk finally added. -What's the point of following your command if we all die as a result?-

The demons took a careful step back when Vergil produced Yamato and Doku in a flash of light and fire. Even the wolves gave the half-demon his space.

"Perhaps you've forgotten something, so let me remind you." Vergil said in a tone far colder than he normally used. "_I_ am in charge. If any of you wish to challenge that, then step forward."

Bolverk remained inert, like a statue. Raidou's gnashed his teeth and tightened his fists, but did not move. Marller tried her best to hide her upset face.

"That's what I thought." Vergil returned the swords to his waist. "You all knew there would be risks. Don't tell me you've all lost your nerve now that you're facing strong opponents."

No one said anything, though the atmosphere had grown thick with tension.

"Our time is coming." Vergil said in his normal tone. "Once we reach the temple, this world will be plunged into darkness and we will all get what we want in the end."

-Your brother had foiled you before.- Bolverk said. -What makes you so certain you will be victorious this time?-

"I lost because I relied on someone else's power, not my own." Vergil replied.

"And this orb that you want to turn into a weapon. Isn't that using someone else's power?" Raidou fired back.

"A Devil Arm is a weapon and a Devil Arm created from an Omni-soul would be the greatest weapon in existence. But a weapon is only as good as the warrior who wields it. For years I have wandered the wastes of the demon world, battling nightmare after nightmare, honing myself into a warrior beyond any before me. Beyond my own father, beyond my brother." Vergil lifted his hand. "But to claim a Devil Arm means wrestling the power within until it submits to you. If I can do that to a Devil Arm created through the souls in the orb, than I will have proven my strength. We all know the hardships required to obtain the strength and power we now have. Either we live because we have strength, or we die because we didn't. That's it. That's what it means to be a demon."

The three generals remained silent.

"But before I start getting teary eyed, let's get back to business." Vergil turned his back to them again. "Marller, follow the woman. When you see the jewel, take it."

"With pleasure." Marller's eyes lit up before black swirls swallowed her and evaporated.

"Raidou, keep an eye on the ninjas. I'm sure you don't need me to tell you what to do if they become problematic."

A chuckle came from the demon as icy winds rushed through, causing him to disappear.

"Bolverk." Vergil paused for a moment. "Donovan has informed me that the daughter of Douglas is getting close. I don't like people getting close. Find her. Kill her."

-Your brother guards her.- Bolverk's voice rattled in Vergil's head. -He might make things difficult.-

"Then I suppose your chance for revenge has come." Vergil said with a small smirk. "That is what you wanted, right?"

The fires in Bolverk's sockets flared up. -But don't you need him for your grand plan?-

"I only need him strong. If he dies by your hand…well I guess he wasn't strong as I had hoped."

A growl came from the hulking beast before he and his hounds melded with the shadows and vanished.

Vergil let the smile fall. He knew Bolverk, how he held a grudge against his late father. He also knew that the demon would not stop at Dante for his vengeance. If the demon did kill his brother, it would most assuredly come after him next. Not that it mattered, if Dante fell, than Vergil would put his general down himself. An inconvenience to his plans, but nothing he could not salvage.

_Douglas' Sanctuary_

_Russia_

_Friday-11:18 p.m._

Dante yawned and cracked his back, still feeling a tad buzzed from his little drinking session with the white haired British chick. He noticed that Helena's room was a bit larger than Christie's or his, not that it surprised him. What did surprise him was her bed, a full sized canopy. He thought something with big brass railings would be more her thing, not something so…girly. Then again, it did fit her princess aura pretty well

"I'd offer you a drink, but I think you've had enough." Helena pushed a lock behind her ear. "So how does ice water sound?"

"I'm good, thanks." Dante plopped down in one of the designer chairs he had deemed as the most comfortable looking. "So what's on your mind?"

"I've been thinking about what you said." She poured herself some water from a crystal pitcher with dozens of ice cubes swirling around, clicking against the glass. "About Kokoro. I still want her to take the helm of the corporation, but…I will ask her if she wants to. If she says no, then I will respect her wishes."

"That's good." Dante leaned further into the plushy seat. "Guess that means you'll have to keep being the head honcho 'round here. I know, it's tough, but I think you can pull it off."

Helena caught the sarcastic edge on Dante's voice, but his tone held no malice. It was just his usual childish goofiness coming back.

"Which brings me to the point of this conversation." Helena sat down across from him. "Things are going to get…rough in the near future. And I'm going to need all the assets I can obtain." She paused to take a drink. Her mouth was curiously getting dry rather quickly. "In short, Dante, I want to make your position a more permanent one and…"

"Pass."

"What?" Helena almost gasped.

"I said: pass." Dante said more slowly with his arms behind his head.

"But…but why?" Helena put her glass off to the side and leaned forward. "Think about it, you'll never have to worry about money again. All your debts will be taken care of. You'll…you'll be treated like a king. You won't have to work for low lives anymore or live in squalor or…or…" Helena started to tremble with frustration. "Why would you turn that down?"

"Because you forgot the part where I'll have a collar around my neck in exchange." Dante pointed at his throat. "And come bounding up to you with a 'yes, master' every time you snap your fingers. No thanks."

"It won't be like…" Helena stopped before she yelled. "It won't be like that."

"Perhaps, but I like what I got going. Quick and easy. I go in, do the job, get paid, and leave. No worrying about sucking up to the boss when I don't really have one."

"Yes, well, I believe there is another job very similar to the one you described. What's it called? Oh, right, prostitution."

"Ouch." Dante said deadpanned with a hand over his heart. "My ego. Your words have hurt me more than a shotgun blast to the face."

"Damn it, Dante." Helena slammed her fists into her chair's armrests. "Why won't you listen to me?"

"Oh, I'm listening." Dante said. "I'm just not liking what I'm hearing."

Helena groaned and rubbed her temples. "I don't understand you, Dante. You say you're loyal and then you say how quickly you'll leave me."

"I'm complicated." Dante shrugged.

"You're a hypocrite." She countered. "And a coward."

"Again, not hurting me by targeting my ego."

"Dante…I'm going to need you." Helena said, losing the anger. "Please."

The devil hunter cast a look over to the French woman and saw the sincerity in her eyes, though there was no vulnerability on her face, just a look of determination, like she could will him to say yes if she concentrated hard enough.

With a sigh, he turned away from her gaze. "Look, I'm not sayin' that when I split it'll be one of those 'goodbye forever' moments. I just don't like to get tied down to one job. I mean, you're a pretty reasonable employer compared to the usual dick-wads I get, so repeat business isn't out of the question, I guess."

Helena smiled. "I suppose that will have to do."

Dante grunted and readjusted himself on the seat.

"Thank you." Helena said, the smile gone. "Truly."

Dante shrugged and settled back in.

Helena sucked in some air through her nose and looked at the ground, a bit more relaxed than before.

After a few moments of silence, Dante got the impression that he was overstaying his welcome. "Well, I'll let ya get back to bed."

"No. It's alright." Helena said in defeat. "I can't sleep, might as well have someone to talk to."

"Uh…ok." Dante looked around. "I'm not much of a small talker, but whatever."

"Good." Helena nodded and pushed her hair back. "So, tell me about yourself."

Dante raised an eyebrow. "I think you know enough about me as it is. Part-demon? Saw his mom get killed? Did all sorts of shit to not feel like shit? Any of that ringing a bell?"

"Oh." Helena said sheepishly. "Well…do you mind if I share something?"

"Knock yourself out."

"I hated singing."

Dante was slightly taken aback from her confession, but not enough to have a clever comeback. "Lemme guess, until you heard the sweet sweet sounds of opera and you had an emotional epiphany that caused you and your staff of maids and butlers to break out in song and choreographed dance?"

"No, I hated it more."

"Oh?" Dante said, genuinely surprised.

"I had bad stage fright. I can remember with crystal clarity every time I froze up." Her face scrunched together at the memories but her smile remained. "I don't even want to go into how many times I was reduced to tears. But that wasn't the only reason. I hated the lessons, the strict instructors, the long hours." She sighed. "My mother pushed me, though. 'Practice, _ma jolie fille_, you must practice.' Bless her heart she never let me quit."

"Then one day, my mother sang with me…and…" Helena paused to find the right words, "it just…it felt _right_. Like solving a riddle. Everything was…right. After a while, I could do it. I could sing on stage, in front of the world. Even without my mother beside me. But the best moments…" She closed her eyes, "the best moments were our duets. That's when the world just melted away and it was just us." Her eyes slowly opened like she was waking from a dream. "But…those days are over. Forever."

No one said anything for a while.

"Perhaps that was not the best way to end that story." Helena leaned back in her chair.

"So what's it like now?" Dante asked. "Singing without your mom?"

"I don't know…I haven't sung since…" She shook her head. "It's been so long."

"Maybe you should try. After all this shit is done."

"I couldn't. I'll be so busy. I couldn't possibly…"

"I don't mean go on tour, I mean for fun. Like in the shower or somethin'."

"I…I don't know. It would feel wrong to sing now."

"Now that you don't have a pharmaceutical lullaby anymore, you're gonna have to change some things if you wanna get yourself out of the gutter."

Helena did not answer. Instead she looked away, thinking.

"Hell, I don't know, you could sing with your sister now."

Dante caught the surprised look on her face.

"Just throwin' it out there. All I got to work with is what you give me, ya know."

Helena snickered before busting out in full laughter that came from her belly.

"Fine. Sorry I said anything." Dante rolled his eyes.

"No, no, no." Helena waved him off, trying to get her laughing under control. "It's just that…I never thought I'd hear something so…cute come out of your mouth."

"Gee, Thanks." Dante said deadpanned.

"I'm sorry…I'm…" Helena cracked up again. "Oh, my…I haven't laughed like that in so long."

"Glad I could be of help."

Helena wiped her eyes. "Thank you."

Dante nodded, still a little miffed.

A full minute ticked by. The silence was almost suffocating.

"Maybe…I think I should head back to bed." Helena finally shattered the tension.

Dante took a quick look around, trying to see if there was a clock or anything that he could check the time. He still was not tired at the moment and he did not want to go back to his room since he was sure the snowy haired assassin was probably hogging all of the bed. Maybe he should see if there was a bar or pizza place nearby. Highly doubtful, but it beat staring at the wall all night.

He pushed himself off the chair, hopping that the drunken buzz would wear off soon so he could put his full focus on getting something to eat.

A hand intercepted his wrist before he managed to start towards the doors. Helena held his arm tightly, but did not say anything. The look in her eyes was all too familiar, but he did not act quite yet. He knew that the French woman was in a particularly vulnerable position, plus he was not sure if she was still 'pure' in a sense. He had thought that she wanted lose her virginity to a prince with long blonde hair riding a white stallion with rose petals and all the frilly crap that he saw on the covers of the cheap romance novels that the girls, his girls, left lying around the place.

He gently pulled his arm back, causing Helena to rise out of her seat. Her eyes locked with his, the intensity undeniable. Her free hand caressed his. Then she threaded her fingers with his and brought them up to her face. She kissed his knuckles, delicately.

"You sure you wanna do this?" Dante asked carefully. "I mean, this is your first time, right?"

"Yes, but…" Helena said. Her voice seemed like it was a glass vase on the edge of a table, ready to break if pushed. "I just…want to escape."

"So I'm an escape, eh?" Dante smirked.

"No!...no…" Helena cast her eyes down for a moment. "Yes. Maybe. It's so…" She blinked away some tears. "Everything is just so…frustrating now. I can't get…centered…or calm." She groaned. "_Pourquoi sont je un tel désordre_ (Why am I such a mess)?"

She withdrew her hands and held her face, trying to calm down. With a new breath, she ran her hand through her hair. Her eyes then came back to his.

She nervously licked her lips and smiled. "I must look like an utter train wreck, don't I?"

The French Soprano was not at her best. Her long golden hair had a major case of bed head, most likely from tossing and turning. Her face was bare, not an ounce of lipstick or makeup and the woman had dark circles under her eyes. But he noticed that the light in her eyes had started to flicker to life after being doused by narcotics for so long.

"Well…" Dante reached out and pushed back a lose hair. "You're a cute train wreck."

Another laugh came out of her, this time through her nose as a snort, which he saw made her almost die of embarrassment.

Dante chuckled a little, but did not say anything.

Helena continued to giggle for a few moments longer before she started to gaze at Dante again.

She took his hands, this time without hesitation, and drew herself into his embrace. The blonde rested her check against his chest and closed her eyes. Dante put an arm around her waist and another on her head, soothing her hair.

"Your heart is steady." She whispered.

"I know of over a dozen ex-employers that say I don't have a heart." Dante muttered.

Helena did not reply, instead pressing herself a bit closer to him. A content smile spread across her face.

"_Maybe this is gonna be like those romance novels_." Dante thought.

After what seemed like a full minute, she pulled away slightly, looked up, and pushed herself on her toes to connect their lips. It was a light kiss, fleeting at first, but Helena did not pull back. He could feel that she still had some doubts, and a fair amount of fear, but she was not backing down.

Until she took a step back and her robe slipped from her shoulders and fell at her feet.

Dante did not say a word. He pulled her to him.

_Devil May Cry building_

_United States_

_Saturday-9:22 a.m._

"Ok then." Nikki used her finger to go over all the cosmetics she had lined up like artillery pieces on a battlefield. "Let's try…something in…cherry."

"But I like blue!" Mei Lin protested.

"I know, I know, but we can't dress you up like a big blueberry." Nikki said, more interested in her tools of the trade. "Now, let's give you a touch of blush. Hold still."

Nikki could not help but smile. Despite all the insanity, she had to admit that she was having a good time. Recently, her old friends had started shedding the party girl routine. Many of them started to settle down, some had kids. Others had…fallen through the cracks. Drugs, drinking, and gambling are just as devastating to women as they are to men. But thankfully only a few went down that path. Still, the friends she did have did not have as much time for going out and having fun, so it was nice to have a girl's night out, even if they did not really go out…and her friend for the evening was a sheltered Chinese girl who probably was still in elementary school.

No use complaining, though. Make the best out of the situation she told herself.

"Can I see yet?" Mei Lin asked while Nikki lightly touched the girl's cheeks with her brush.

"Almost." Nikki replied, trying her best to suppress a giggle.

Mei Lin looked more like a clown than a beauty queen. But she could not help herself; the girl just looked cute as a button.

"When you're done, you'll let me do you next, right?" Mei Lin asked, almost bouncing in her seat.

"Of course. Now hold still." Nikki said.

The front door burst open, causing the girls to almost jump out of their skins.

"Wassup?" Enzo said as he strolled in like he owned the place. "You ladies all…"

The portly man stopped when Mei Lin turned around.

"Nice makeup kid." Enzo said. "The circus in town?"

"Be nice." Nikki said in English before returning to Chinese for Mei Lin. "Go upstairs and play for a little bit, ok? I gotta talk to the big fat man."

Mei Lin looked over to Enzo, giggled, and ran up the stairs.

"What was that about?"

"Dunno." Nikki shrugged. "I think she likes you."

"Right." Enzo arched an eyebrow. "Anyway, I got these, just like you asked."

The man raised his arm that held a white plastic bag dangling from his hand. Nikki snatched the bag and dug into its contents. Inside she found bottles of high grade shampoo and conditioners, body lotions, nail polish, and other life giving essentials.

"Oh, thank you so much." Nikki threw her arms around the man and pecked him on the cheek. "You're a lifesaver. I was down to my emergency stash."

"No prob." Enzo smirked and touched his cheek. "You know, you could have gotten this yourself. I mean the store I got these at is a 45 minute drive depending on the traffic."

"One: I don't have a car. Two. I don't have access to my money. And Three. I am not going out by myself or with Mei Lin in this type of neighborhood." Nikki held up three fingers and curled them one by one as she ticked off her reasons.

"Well you shouldn't have to worry about number three. I spread the word that your guests of the demon on the block." Enzo said smoothly. "This little area of the city is strictly Dante's turf. Every gang, mafia group, and scumbag haven't set foot anywhere near a five block radius of this shop in almost five years."

"Still, I ain't gonna tempt fate." Nikki set the bag off to the side and grabbed a scrap of paper from the table and handed it over to the Enzo. "Here's a list of stuff for the rug rat."

Enzo gave the paper a once over and scratched his head. "Ok…uh…the cookies I get, but what's with this 'Twilight' DVD bundle thing?"

"That's…more for me." Nikki coughed. "But I thought maybe she'd get a kick out of it."

"Uh-huh." Enzo replied flatly. "Well, anyway, these should be no problem. I'll have 'em for ya by tomorrow. Got some things to wrap up for a few clients."

"Speaking of which, any word from Dante, or whoever is in charge?"

"Nope. But I wouldn't worry. He can disappear sometimes when he's doing jobs. Big jobs, though." Enzo crossed his arms. "Now that I think about it, there are some things that aren't adding up. Can't get in touch with the client for some reason."

"And that doesn't concern you?"

"A little. But Dante's a big boy; he can take care of himself." Enzo replied. "I just wish he'd do it without leavin' a fuckin' path of destruction behind him. That usually comes out of our pocket." Enzo sighed. "Thankfully, I've learned to have a few other people on my employee list. Keeps the money comin' when it ain't comin' from the lazy lump."

"Oooook." Nikki said carefully, not missing the sharp tone in Enzo's rant. "Back on topic, I wanna know when everyone will be back, because I gave up babysitting when I was 15. It's been days and I wanna know when I can expect relief." Nikki pointed upstairs. "She keeps asking when 'Mama Ayame' is coming back and I don't have an answer for her."

"Why is she here?" Enzo asked. "Where are her folks at?"

"Dunno." Nikki rubbed her temples. "All I got from the squirt is that they're not home. I'm guessing they work out of the country or somthin'."

"Hmm." Enzo looked at the ground for a moment. "Well, I'm afraid I can't answer your question. Dante will get back when he gets back." He shrugged. "It's who he is."

"Great, just great." Nikki threw her hands up in disgust before she heaved a sigh. "Guess I'll just keep playing Mary Poppins. In the meantime, just keep a tab and I'll pay you back when I can."

"Nah, forget it." Enzo waved her off. "It'd be rude to charge a pretty thing like you when yer supposed to be that douche's guest. Think of this as on the house. And when I say on the house, I mean Dante can take care of the bill." Enzo cupped his chin. "But if you really wanna thank me, you could introduce me to some of your single friends, preferably of the young, cute, and…flexible variety."

Nikki laughed. "I'll see what I can do. Just get what's on the list, please."

"Can do." Enzo did a mock salute with two fingers and marched out the door, head held high.

Nikki laughed again before she sank into the couch, feeling like she would cry soon. Life kept clocking her upside the head and it was hard not to fall apart now that she had only two people to talk too, A Chinese kid and a portly man that popped by every other day. The reality was crushing her like a hundred pound weight on her chest.

"Jesus." She whispered. "Things had better get better soon."

"Nikki?" Mei Lin poked her head out of the railing of the steps. "Are you ok?"

"Uh?" Nikki wiped her eyes before continuing in Chinese. "Yeah, I'm fine, honey. Just…something in my eyes."

"Ok." Mei Lin replied hesitantly. "Can I give you a makeover now?"

Nikki laughed and took a deep breath. "Sure thing, kiddo. Just…gimme a minute."

_Elliot's residence_

_Great Britain_

_Saturday-4:34 p.m._

Eliot shifted in his seat. He had been put in the hot spot by his parents before, but only when he had gotten into fights at school or came back with a grade that was not up to his parent's expectations. Now he had two others with him to sit as his parents unleashed their judgment.

Eliot's father, Robert, though Eliot would never dare say his father's Christian name, sat in his favorite chair, and rubbed his eyes with one hand. His dark framed glasses rested on the small table next to his chair along with his reading lamp and his smoking pipe, unlit, in its oak box. Eliot's father worked at an international company and performed tasks that were over Eliot's private school educated head. His father was like an ice cube half the time, working like a robot, focused like a laser. Other times he was a hermit, he rarely went to the company parties and mixers and even then not for long. Eliot would call his father a 'workaholic' if he knew it would not make him upset.

Eliot's mother, Margaret, was not as…distant as his father. She was always there with a big hug and a kiss on the check…and a first aid kit on standby. For every cut, every bruise, and every cough there was trips to the emergency room, triple layer bandages, and immediate diagnoses of terrible life threatening diseases. Whenever he got into a scuffle at school, his mother was in the principle's office the very next day demanding that charges be pressed against 'the little monsters who hurt her baby'.

She sat in her seat, the flowery-patterned chair next to father. She kept her body closed, her arms crossed and her legs squeezed together. Her eyes darted from her son to the two strange women that flanked him on the couch. He could see that she was a bubbling pot ready to burst. And he knew what would happen then.

Eliot looked around in discomfort. The house was still clean, though he knew that in his mother's mind, she still thought the place was a mess.

"Son." His father finally spoke up.

Eliot snapped his back and sat up straight as board. "Yes, father?"

"I want you to know, that we are not upset with you." His father locked his eyes with his son's.

"Upset?" His mother broke in. "Have you seen his hands? They're a bloody mess!"

Eliot tried to curl his fingers to hide the bandages from his fight at Gen Fu's temple. He winced when a jolt of pain went through his body. He had full use, but he still had flare ups every so often. Perhaps a trip to the doctor would have been in order, but the lady with blonde hair and leather armor said that he should be fine. She seemed like she knew what she was talking about. Plus she smelled like lemons.

Eliot shook his head to clear his thoughts.

"Calm down, honey." Eliot's father held his hand up. "We'll get to that."

Eliot's mother squirmed in her seat, her face clenched in concern.

"Again. We're not upset." He started again. "We just want to know what happened."

"I know, father." Eliot said, trying to keep his nerve. "And I wish I could tell you, but…" Eliot licked his lips and swallowed. "I cannot."

His father's head perked up at Eliot's utterance. "I beg your pardon?"

Sensing the spike in his father's voice, Eliot chose his next word's wisely. "What has happened these past few days isn't something I can sum up in one discussion. And I feel that there are some things that you may find…far fetched. But I ask that you trust me."

"Trust? Trust what?" His mother jumped out of her chair. "You haven't told us anything! You call us from France when you're supposed to be in China and come home with these…these…tarts!" She pointed wildly at the two Asian women. "That's it, isn't it? You two are the reason behind this. You got him wrapped up in some sort of scam. Admit it!"

"Ma'am, you have us misunderstood." Miyako stood. Her English was spot on despite her accent. "We owe our lives to this young man."

"Oh don't tell me that slop!" Eliot's mother was almost shaking with rage. "I know rubbish when I smell it and you two reek of it!" Her face suddenly went pale. "Have you two…have you two seduced my son?"

"Mum!" Eliot almost squeaked. "Please!"

"Oh God…he's only sixteen and you two are as old as I am." The woman looked like she was about to vomit before the fire returned in her eyes. "You sick…" She could not finish her statement. Instead she lashed out, her palm aiming for Miyako's face. Instead it met Eliot's.

Everyone gasped. Not only did Eliot take the blow, but no one saw him move from his seat.

"Oh…no." Eliot's mother barely got out. "Sweetie, are you alright? Did I hurt you?" She reached out. "Oh, I'm so so…"

"Mum!" Eliot almost shouted and took her wrists to get her attention. "I'm fine, mum, really. Just please listen. I know I'm asking you a lot without giving an explanation, but this is very important to me. Will you allow these two ladies to stay with us?"

"For how long?" Eliot's father asked.

"I don't know." Eliot replied calmly.

"And why do they need to stay with us?"

"Because I said I'd protect them."

Eliot saw both his parent's give pause, almost as astounded as when his mother struck him.

"I have a feeling you aren't going to tell us what you are protecting them from, so I won't waste my breath." Eliot's father sat up in his chair. "But I will ask you this; did you give them your word?"

"Yes." Eliot said with great finality.

Eliot's father nodded for a moment before he spoke again. "Alright. They can stay."

"What?" Eliot's mother almost screamed. "Have you lost your marbles? We don't know these women."

"That we don't. But I know that a man's word is precious little commodity in this world. And my son has given his to our guests." He rose from his chair, walked over to his son, and clasped his shoulder. "I feel that I have no choice but to honor that agreement."

Eliot smiled. His father smiled back. His mother said nothing, but still looked upset.

"However," Eliot's father's smile fell. "A man should not give his word if he has to rely on his parents to fulfill it."

Eliot's smile dissolved and his head became heavy. He looked down. "Yes, father."

"Good boy." Eliot's father patted his shoulder. "Now go upstairs and change, you smell like the airport." The smile returned.

"Are you daft? You're letting these…people stay in our home?" Eliot's mother broke in.

"Honey." Eliot's father turned to his wife and took her hands. "Why don't you lie down for a few minutes? We'll order out for lunch."

Eliot's mother opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out. Instead she let out a huff, turned, and walked out of the room, shaking her head and muttering to herself. Before she disappeared into the next room, she shot a glare to the two women.

Eliot swallowed, trying to keep his heart from climbing out his throat.

"Go on, then." Eliot's father gave his son a quick pat on the back. "Your guests and I are going to have a sit down, get to know one another."

Eliot looked over to the Japanese mothers.

"Well be fine, Eliot, don't worry." Ayame smiled, standing side by side with Miyako. "We wish to speak with your father as well."

Eliot's gaze shot from one woman to the next. He exhaled sharply and turned to leave. He knew he had nothing to fear from his father, but something told him that things were going to get more uncomfortable before it got better.

_Unknown location_

_Saturday 5:05 p.m._

Things began to come back to her as she awoke; Paris, the search for the ninja's mothers, and the demon presence. When night came she had lead it to somewhere private, a multistory parking garage. But what happened after that was…cloudy.

She groaned and pushed herself off the cold floor. She noticed that she was inside…something. The walls and ceiling were one like the inside of an igloo. They glowed with golden energy. A cage.

"Shit." Trish pushed the hair out of her eyes and sat up. "Don't tell me I got blindsided by some punk demon."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that."

Trish groaned again at hearing the sing-song voice. "Lemme guess," She said wearily, "you're the punk demon."

A figure appeared from nothingness in front of her. A demon dressed in green.

"Greetings, my fair lady," the demon bowed. "My name is Gentleman and I'm afraid I require you for a little something special I have planned."

"Oh really?" Trish felt like slapping the demon around. "And what's that?"

"Every trap needs bait." The demon said. "And the best bait is the one the prey finds most delicious."


	37. icy fortress

A/N: Ok, now they have DMC4 on the iPhone. Am I the only one who knows that putting console games on iPhone format DOES NOT WORK! Also, I know that Nero isn't in my fic and that's because I started this fic _before_ DMC4 came out and it's too much of a bother to try to work him in now.

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: DMC owned by Capcom. DOA and NG owned by Team Ninja and Tecmo.

**Dead or Alive 4: The Devil Factor**

**Chapter 37: Icy Fortress**

_Elliot's residence_

_Great Britain_

_Saturday-5:12 p.m._

Ayame shifted in her seat, trying to get comfortable. The rose colored stuffed chair with brass buttons that bolted the hide to the frame circling the fronts of the armrests looked pretty and went with the rest of the room well, but the hide was stiff. Obviously it was not one of the most used pieces of furniture in the home. She could see that her companion, Miyako, had a similar problem with her chair.

Eliot's father, Robert, a man with a lean face and thick forearms with dark hair, sat in a burgundy recliner. He wiped his glasses with a cloth before returning them to his head. He was dressed in a pressed white business shit and dark slacks, like he had just gotten home from work. His stern gaze had the aura of control and discipline, like a soldier, but she saw no hatred, no ill will, it was almost like looking into the eyes of her late husband. A wave of nostalgia and depression hit, but she tried to sweep it aside. Now was not the time.

"I love my son." Robert suddenly said, tilting his head forward and peering at the two women over his glasses. "The wife and I may run a tight ship at home, but that's so our son knows about discipline. A man must have discipline in his life. Otherwise he's no better than an animal."

Ayame did not say anything. She waited for Robert to continue.

"When he told me about studying martial arts, I was for it. I studied a little karate back in my time. Nothing focuses your mind like legitimate fighting arts." He nodded at his remark. "Of course, the Misses would hear nothing of it. But when I told her that it would make him a better man, she went for it."

"Speaking of whom, I have to apologize for her behavior." Robert switched topics. "You have to understand that she comes from a well sized family herself. Two older brothers. One younger sister. She wanted that life for her children." Robert looked down for a moment. "But we don't always get what we want. A fact of life. But it affected my wife deeply."

A moment ticked by with Robert wrestling with something in his mind.

"My wife wants to treat our son with kid's gloves." Robert returned his gaze to his guests. "But he has to learn to stand on his own two feet. And while I'm not happy with what he has told me, I will respect his determination. But know this. I am letting you two stay here because of him, not you."

Ayame and Miyako nodded.

"I have children myself. As does Miyako." Ayame said. "Unfortunately, I have learned the hard way that I cannot protect them from everything. But I do want to say that a mother will _always_ want to protect her child, no matter the circumstances."

Ayame looked over to Miyako for conformation. Instead she saw the woman look at her feet, sad about…something.

"I understand that a mother wants to keep her children safe." Robert broke the silence. "But a father wants to see his children succeed. This is the first time Eliot has put himself forward like this. If he thinks keeping you here is worthy, than I wish to see him succeed."

"And we thank you for your hospitality." Miyako bowed. "But I think you may be mistaken."

Ayame almost told Miyako to bite her tongue. She was dangerously close to insulting their host.

"A mother does want to keep her child safe but she also wants to see her children happy." She continued. "But we cannot soothe our desire to protect our children. It is a sacrifice all mothers must make. Please do not confuse her protectiveness as her will to hinder Eliot's growth."

Robert mulled over what the woman said, his eyes going up into his brain for a brief moment. "Maybe I have been too hard on my wife. But she does smother him…and I let her, because he's all we have." Robert shook his head. "When we found out that he went into the…tournament, I swear his mother was going to track him down and drag him back home. He was lucky he didn't get himself killed in that thing, cheeky boy."

"He's stronger than you think." Miyako boldly said. "He is not fragile."

"I know." Robert said calmly. "But he's still our son."

Miyako breathed deeply. Ayame saw that there was something niggling in her head.

"My daughter fights in the same tournament." Miyako motioned to Ayame. "So do her children. We know what its like to have our children in harms way, but sometimes…you have to realize there's nothing you can do but support them." Miyako leaned forward. "I am not telling you what to do. I'm telling you that there are other people in the same predicament as you."

"I see." Robert regarded Miyako with cool eyed. "But he is _my_ son and I'll be damned if I'll sit on my bottom while he's neck deep in…whatever it is he's in."

"He protects us." Miyako replied calmly. "And we'll protect him."

Robert pressed his lips together, lost in his thoughts for a moment, and eventually, nodded slowly. "Alright."

Ayame's back remained tense, her eyes dashed between Miyako and Robert. Her fingers fidgeted.

"Well, now that that's taken care of, let's get dinner." Robert clapped his hands and got up from his chair.

* * *

"Talk, talk, talk, that's all they do." Marller pouted and tapped her arm. "And they're all so stuck up. Doubtful they'll do anything fun." Marller ran a hand through her hair. "Pity. The child I liked. Like a cute boy/girl." She sighed and stroked a purring Cait Sith. "Oh well, business before pleasure as they say."

The Japanese woman called Ayame; she was the demoness's target, a woman with three grown children. A woman she despised. A husband and family essentially handed to her, given to her like a lackluster gift.

Human romances were so…mundane and tedious. A demon did not have romances. Everything was about survival, even procreation. Strong parents meant strong offspring and strong offspring meant a better chance at survival. Some mindless low-level demoness's mated continuously, hoping that a horde of children would keep them safe, but quantity could not compare to quality.

Courtship was also about survival, especially amongst the higher classes. There was no flirting, no dating, no flowers and chocolates and movies. It was war. Sparda was the strongest and every female demon wanted him. Sparda could have had a harem, wives in the hundreds, but he still held to the old code, he would accept only one woman. And the fighting began.

Most of it was a blur to her. Adrenaline and reflexes surpassed memories. Many female demons relied on deception and trickery, brute strength was a rarity. Many fell in the first few hours followed by more in the next few days. After a week of non-stop bloodshed, she stood the victor. And he was gone.

After all the pain she endured, the challenges she overcame, the bodies she stepped over, he left and coupled with a _mortal_ woman. Not a warrior, or princess, or priestess, or anyone special, just a small, pretty, useless human woman.

What he did was beyond cruel, it was down right insulting, a slap in her face. Everything she did he rendered moot.

His children proved worthy mates, but they were mixed breeds, tainted. If she bore their children, no matter how strong they could be, the taint would remain. The insult continued.

Other strong demons came to fill the void Sparda left, but none came close to his strength, his greatness, none worthy of her attention.

All she had left was vengeance. And then he robbed her further by disappearing. Well, if he refused to face his crimes, his family would, his children.

Dante and Vergil, all had to die, or the shame would continue to haunt her.

_Douglas' Sanctuary_

_Russia_

_Saturday-7:08 p.m._

The ice queen had called in a 'meeting' at her office. Christie had never seen so much satin used to compose a room in her life. Helena had said very little, except for a few facts, Donovan, an icebreaker ship, and nothing else that held her interest. But she did notice something that did perk her curiosity.

Christie could smell it on her, the smell of night of passion and not just on her. She switched between Helena sitting in her big chair focusing a little too much on her laptop and Dante with his feet up on the desk and his arms behind his head. Dante played it cool, but Helena was obviously trying too hard. She might as well wear a neon sign over her head proclaiming 'I shagged the demon boy'.

But the other clues, while subtle, betrayed the French woman. The bitterness in her voice had subsided. The way she tensed her shoulders had vanished. Helena also took the time to go through her morning cosmetic ritual. She had put her make up on in a more professional manner instead of her recent hum-drum style. Her skin looked youthful and her lips moist.

Speaking of moist, Christie decided to pull back a little before she had to pull Dante aside for some relief.

Put all these little facts together and she had no doubt that Helena was dipping into her goods. Normally she did not mind sharing if she joined in on the fun, but obvious circumstances made current events teeter on the dangerous side.

But perhaps she looked at the scenario the wrong way. Maybe she had to switch to a 'glass half-full' outlook. Dante was even closer to the little ice queen and the closer you got to someone, the easier you could slip in the knife.

"Donovan's gone dark." Helena suddenly spoke up. "After his purchasing of the ice breaker, there's nothing." She tapped at her laptop's screen. "That means whatever he is planning, it will happen soon."

"Or…" Christie chimed in. "You're not watching him as closely as you think."

Helena's glare was unusually icier.

"I'm just saying, love, that perhaps I should do the honors of finding our prey." The sex melted on her words. "After all, you send a predator after prey."

The glare evolved into a slight snarl. At least she could still push the queen's buttons.

"She has a point." Dante said nonchalantly. "I mean, she tracked you down." Helena snapped her gaze to Dante, a look of betrayal in her face. "Oh, don't look at me like that." Dante brushed her off. "You want to find this guy or not?"

After a few seconds of teeth grinding, Helena turned her laptop around and shoved it to the snowy haired assassin.

"Fine. Have at it." Helena almost barked. She jabbed a finger at Dante. "You, I want to have a word with you…in private."

Dante groaned and pushed of his chair. "And I just got comfortable too."

"Make sure to pull your knickers up when you're done." Christie purred as Helena passed.

The blonde turned, red in the face, about to throw a tantrum. Dante came up behind and gently pushed her to the door. "Don't, just don't." He murmured to her. The woman resisted in voice only. She complained about Christie's vulgar mouth and such, the assassin ignored what Helena said exactly. Her body complied with his touch and her feet carried her to the door.

How sad, utterly under the spell of a man. Perhaps getting rid of the spoiled brat would be easier than she had realized with Dante in the picture.

"Too easy." Christie whispered and turned her attention to the laptop. She rolled her eyes. "Pitiful, I would be astonished if she could find anything on E-bay, let alone in DOATEC's mainframe." She raised her arms to crack her fingers and back. "Let's get started."

* * *

Dante almost expected a slap to come from Helena, but surprisingly none came. In fact she seemed almost cowed with his hand on her. Odd, but at least she had not caused a scene. After finding another room, one that held a grand piano at the center, he let her go. She held herself and turned away from him, shivering.

"Well?" Dante asked with crossed arms. "What's up? What is it?"

"How could you?" Helena almost sobbed. "How could you take her side?"

"Because she had a good idea?" Dante answered sarcastically. "I mean, I'm surprised she had one that didn't involve killing, but still."

"You know what I mean!" She flung around, tears streaming from her eyes. "You know what she is and what she's like. You…you're…"

"Just because I agreed with one idea she had doesn't mean I'm jumping ship, okay?" Dante felt like a father trying to calm his daughter.

Helena had to take some breaths to prevent herself from completely bursting into tears. "Damn it! Not this again." She sniffed. "I thought you said…that'd I'd get stronger."

"What? Kicking off the pills? Or us?" Dante waved his finger between the two of them. "It doesn't get better over night, babe. Like I said these things take time. I don't know all the details, but if I had to guess, I think yer gonna be a tad emotional for a bit, which to be honest isn't that much of a stretch for ya."

"Shut up!" Helena covered her ears, her eyes squeezed shut. "Just…shut up!"

"Okay, okay." Dante held up his hands. "Thought you could take a joke." Nothing was said for a moment; Helena still had her eyes shut. With a sigh, he tilted her chin to him. "Look, I'm with ya. Till the bitter end. Well, hopefully it won't be bitter, but you get the idea."

She smiled a painful smile before turning away again. "Thank you, but…" She swallowed before she continued. "I'm just…I don't know…what to do…I mean…what do we do…about us?"

"Us?" Dante said with faked confusion. "I didn't know there was an 'us'. I mean, I thought you wanted to use my body as a way to escape. Personally, I don't think of myself as a man whore, but you were in a desperate situation and I said to myself 'might as well take one for the team'."

Helena had an un-amused look.

"Sorry, forgot, this is a non jesting zone here." Dante motioned around the room with his finger.

"Damn it, Dante." Helena pushed away tears. "This is…new for me…I don't know what to do."

"What do you want to do?" Dante replied straight faced.

"I…I don't know."

"Do you want to pretend this never happened and go our separate ways? Because that's the norm for me. Although it's usually the chick who decides that for me."

"I don't…like that idea." Helena played with her ponytail. "It sounds…harsh. And cruel."

"It is." Dante faded briefly to his memories before returning to reality. "How 'bout we get married, settle down, and have little blond and white haired kids?"

Helena's eyes bugged at his statement. "Absolutely not! That's far too extreme."

"Alright, good." Dante cupped his chin. "How about this, we…"

"What is it you're doing?" Helena interrupted.

"Trying to narrow down what it is you want." Dante replied like it was no big deal. "You said you didn't know."

Helena huffed. "I know, but…this is happening rather quickly for me."

"No duh," Dante said. "Look, yer making this like we got engaged. Classic rookie mistake. You need to dial this down a bit. You don't need to make big plans, ok, you just gotta let it…do its own thing…I guess."

Helena arched an eyebrow. "Are you making this up?"

"Not until halfway," Dante scratched his scalp. "Look, I got nuthin', but what I want to know is if you regret last night?"

Helena looked at him with the eyes of a timid child, like she wanted to speak, but fear made her mute.

"I suppose that answers my question." Dante turned and left. His hand touched the doorknob when she found her voice.

"I didn't…" Helena almost squeaked. "I mean I don't. I don't regret it."

Dante nodded in understanding. "Good." Helena fell back into silence. "You stay here and collect yourself or whatever you opera stars call it. I'll see how Bond girl reject is doing." A small smile broke Helena's face, until Dante left the room. She cast her eyes up.

"_Mère_ (Mother)." She softly prayed. "_Ce qui fait je fais _(What do I do now)?"

* * *

Christie knew it was Dante the second he came within ten meters of the room. The weight of his footsteps and the rustling of leather and metal gave him away.

"Hello, love." Christie said coyly. "I take it your chat went well?"

"Well enough." Dante replied deadpanned and slumped back into his chair. "Any luck with the computer voo-doo?"

Christie laughed. "My skills with the magical world of technology may be as spectacular as my other talents, but something like this is going to take more than a quick shag session with ice queen."

"So you know?" Dante asked rhetorically as he sunk back into his chair.

"I'm not surprised." Christie shrugged. "I mean, the only type of person who could get the starch out of her knickers was a hell-spawned demonic being." Christie smoothly said, never taking her eyes off the screen. "So tell me, were you the first to break her in?"

"A gentleman never brags." Dante put his feet up.

"Well there's a 'yes' if I ever heard one." Christie smirked.

"At any rate," Dante said uninterested. "I think you should lay off the ol' gal."

"Do you?" Christie said in equal disinterest. "Well, I think you've _laid on_ the old gal once too many. Surprised your Jackson didn't freeze and break off in that ice cavern she calls a pleasure portal."

"You know what I mean."

Christie chuckled. "I do. And I reject it."

Dante did not respond.

"Listen, love, I know you like playing peace keeper between me and the frog, but this is something that's been a long time coming. She wants it, I want it, and it's going to happen, no matter what you do."

"Are we talkin' about a fight or you two fulfilling some erotic fanfiction?"

"Awww." Christie finally turned to Dante with a faux-tenderness and battered eyes. "Isn't that adorable? You're pushing for a threesome. My little boy's growing up." She took his chin and made kissy lips. "Don't you worry about a thing, I know plenty of nice girls I'm going to introduce you too that will be much better than that spoiled little brat."

"I doubt that." Dante muttered.

"That I'll get us girls?" Christie chuckled and let him go.

"That they're 'nice'." Dante rolled his eyes. "Anyway, there's something you should know about me."

"If it's your preferences, I think I have an idea or two."

Dante suddenly put himself an inch from her face. "Don't tell me what I can't do."

Christie caught her breath. She suddenly found herself back at the warehouse: the blaze from the wreckage, the smoke rising to the stars, and the inhuman thing that towered over her, defying her reality. Dante pushed off the desk and left. The snowy haired assassin tracked his movements even when he was not in the room, but with her body on full alert, like he would burst through the door and kill her in an instant.

"Wow." Christie huffed, trying to get her breathing back under control. "Almost forgot that feeling." She turned back to the laptop, trying to ignore the uncomfortable tingling between her legs.

_Unknown Location_

_Saturday-9:10 p.m._

Trish twirled her hair at the end of her finger and blew out a breath of frustration. The golden haired demoness sat cross legged and rested her head in a hand.

"If your plan is to bore me to death, it's working." Trish called out, knowing that Gentleman was listening.

"I apologize for your lack of entertainment." The demon materialized outside her cell. "I'll try to see if I can obtain a puzzle or magazine for you."

"Get Cosmo." Trish replied, not entirely sure if the demon was being sarcastic. "I'm always looking for new ways to please me man."

"I'll see what I can do." The demon merrily replied.

Trish raised an eyebrow. "And another thing, what the hell am I supposed to eat?" Trish slammed a hand on her knee. "And where's the damn bathroom? What do ya expect me to do, go in the corner?"

"Not to worry, my dear lady." Gentleman bowed and tipped his hat. "Everything will be taken care of."

"I feel so much better." She rolled her eyes. "Listen, bud, I don't know what yer tryin' to pull with me and Dante, but I'm gonna give ya the best piece of advice. Just forget it and move on. Maybe you'll live an extra few years before we get around to deportin' yer ass back to the supernatural barbeque."

"I'm afraid that's quite out of the question, you see, that decision is not up to me to make." Gentleman replied. "But I have a feeling you won't be in such a…restraining predicament for much longer."

"What is this?" Trish got up, losing her cool. "What the fuck do you want?"

"This, my dear, is the climax of a tale that began long ago." Gentleman smile was getting creepy. "A tale that involved the father of the one you so pine after."

"Sparda?" Trish gasped. "But…how?"

"After the Legendary Dark Knight toppled Mundus, he helped the humans in their schemes to imprison those poor helpless demons that were left to fend for themselves." Gentleman brought a handkerchief up to his eyes. "Such horrible times. And those demons sat in their tiny cell, the years turning into decades. Decades turned into centuries. Soon the world they once knew is no more. Conquered by beings they had a rather…dim view of." Gentleman put the handkerchief away. "It would be like if the chickens rose up and toppled the humans."

"I'm sure Colonel Sanders would be seen as the messiah then." Trish groaned. "Look, douche bag, in case you haven't put two and two together I'm a demon _hunter_. I kill demons for a living. So you'll excuse if I don't cry for you Argentina."

"Your cold heart aside, the demons inside this cell have become…restless. And they want out. And what they want," Gentleman's smile became sharper, "is what I want."

"And why's that?" Trish leered.

"Well, my dear, we all have our masters."

Trish regarded the demon with an icy glare. "Speak for yourself."

"Am I?" Gentleman moved closer. "Aren't you Dante's pet?"

"I'm his partner, fuck-tard." Trish's voice dripped with poison. "And I'm interested to see if you'll keep that smile on your face after I jam my guns up your asshole and clean your colon out with 45. caliber rounds."

"You mean these?" Gentleman held up his hand. Her guns appeared above his hand, slowly spinning like planets orbiting a star. "Rather brutish weapons for such a dainty figure such as yourself." He dropped his hands and her guns vanished. "I also took it upon myself to fetch that cumbersome sword as well. To think you let the very symbol of Sparda sit in some hotel closet. Such a travesty. But when one gives gifts to a pet, one cannot be surprised to see the pet chew on it."

Trish slammed her fist into the barrier between her and Gentleman, causing a fireworks display as the energy tried to contain the demoness. Her fist could not pop the bubble. The smiling demon did not even flinch.

"Temper, temper, my good lady." Gentleman wagged a finger, almost laughing at her.

"Fuck my guns and sword." Trish hissed through a clenched jaw. "I'll rip you apart with my bare hands."

"Don't delude yourself. Think about it. The man whom you hold such an affinity looks at you and sees the mother he lost. Tell me, did you ever think the two of you would be together?"

Trish glared but did not reply.

"Perhaps he keeps you around like a child holds onto his favorite blanket. But sooner or later, the child grows up and discards the blanket." Gentleman put his face dangerously close to the barrier. "Eventually, he'll discard you too."

"When I get out of here, and I will," Trish put herself closer, "I'm going to remember what you said to me and I'll make sure your last moments on this world will be spent in blinding agony."

"All I hear from you are threats, dear girl." Gentleman replied. "But you have refuted nothing. Perhaps because what I have said is the truth. And we both know the truth can be…unpleasant."

Trish pulled away, still upset, and walked away. "Dante will come for me."

"That's why you're here, m'lady." Gentleman straightened himself out. "That's why you're here."

Trish sat back down, crossed legged, with her back to the demon.

"I shall return with the items you asked." Gentleman's tone became playful again. "Until then, m'lady." He bowed his and vanished.

Trish breathed unevenly, almost trembling. _Don't cry_. She thought. _Not in front of him_._ He'll come. Have faith_.

_Elliot's residence_

_Great Britain_

_Saturday-9:54 p.m._

Sleep continued to elude Eliot. Bedtime was at 9:30 a.m. _sharp_, but recent events had his father loosen the metaphorical noose. He would have liked the freedom, how little he got, but thoughts about what was happening crushed any sense of relief. He fidgeted with a pencil at his desk. He had tried to get some of his summer reading list under his belt, but halfway through the first chapter of _Moby Dick_ he had suddenly lost his ability to concentrate or retain the words he had just read.

He was home, safe and sound, but he did not feel relaxed. If there was one thing he had learned, with demons no where was safe.

His mind also wandered to the ninja sisters. He hoped they were getting along without him playing referee. Ayane was, of course, the real problem, but she could act composed sometimes. She had the fire in her to succeed in life, but as his father said, fire without control would lead to an inferno. A pity her martial arts training did not focus her mind.

He had never really met anyone like her before. The other English in the tournament, the woman Christie, had the energy, but she was far too…cold. He had only met a few of the other fighters, a few of them female, but Ayane was definitely a person all her own.

She was also his first kiss. He traced the edges of his lips with his hand. It was…odd. He expected his first kiss to have more…flare to it. Maybe he was thinking a bit too romantically. Still it was very…nice. He would not mind doing it again. Maybe with some…touching…

Realizing that his mind had wondered into places that made him…restless, Eliot returned to his reading. A knock came from his door. With a sigh he closed his book, giving up the entire endeavor, wondering if his father decided to enforce the bedtime rule.

"Enter." He called out.

The door opened and Miyako stepped in. Eliot, bewildered, shot up from his chair. "M…Ms. Miyako." Eliot stuttered.

"Calm yourself," she said in a hushed tone. "I wish to speak to you, if I may."

"Of, of course." Eliot made ready his chair for her to use. He never had a girl other than his mother in his room. She smiled, ignored his chair, and sat on his bed.

* * *

Miyako gave the boy's room the once over when she walked in. Eliot's room was a testament to his accomplishments and his parent's support. Trophies and medals from minor league sports, especially soccer, lined the shelves along with report cards and certificates from his school, teachers, and private tutors. His book shelves were jammed packed with college level school books, trigonometry, calculus, English and world history, and books written by old men about older men. His room was articulate, tidy…and cold.

Her daughter's room was not so different, but Kokoro had some signs of life. A fish tank with a rainbow of tropical fish, her own bonsai plant, pictures of friends and family, even one of her father. She had an urge to buy a plant or find some picture frames and go through his family photos. Such feelings came from over a decade of personally homemaking a mansion.

"Your room is very…nice." Miyako said hesitantly, still looking around the room. "I see that you have accomplished much."

"Thank you." Eliot said, blushing like mad. "May I offer you some water?"

"No thank you." Miyako patted the mattress. "Please sit." Eliot fidgeted, but took the seat, staring straight ahead. The Japanese mother fought down the sick feeling that climbed up her stomach and forced a smile.

"Are you…" Eliot trailed off, but he continued after swallowing. "Are you having trouble sleeping?"

"No…well, yes. It's why I want to talk to you." Miyako tried her best to keep her voice steady. "Eliot, do you know my daughter?"

Eliot nodded. "Yes, ma'am. I met her during the tournament. We never fought though."

"Yes. She participated in that tournament without my permission. But she did very well." Miyako eye's darted to the floor for a moment before she turned fully to Eliot. "Tell me, how do you feel about my daughter?"

Eliot's face became even redder. "I…I respect your daughter. She is strong and…very coordinated with her martial arts."

"I see." Miyako replied. "Well, let's move on, I need your help in a matter. And I ask that you keep what I said between us. Do you understand?"

Eliot hesitated for a moment before answering. "Yes."

Miyako took a deep breath. "I believe that Ayame may be holding something back from us."

Eliot turned his head, confused. "What? Why?"

"Before I met you two, I was with a man called Dante. He is a demon hunter. He knows how to defeat the creatures that terrorize us. How to put an end to all this insanity."

Eliot's attention was unbreakable. "Yes, I heard about Mr. Dante. I stayed at his home for a time with Ayame and her daughters. What is it? How can he beat them?"

"There are three enchanted jewels that are used as part of the ritual to stop the demons and I believe that Ayame knows where one of them is. But she is keeping it a secret."

"She is? But why?"

He believed her, which made the pain worse. "I don't think she is a bad woman, but I think that she fears that the ritual will have some repercussions. That someone might die. Fear can make people no longer see the truth."

"We have to talk to her. Tell her that her fears are misplaced."

"I've tried, but she's afraid of losing her children. And I know that as a mother, I would do anything to protect my child." Miyako bit her tongue. "But I know a way to get the jewel from her without resorting to violence."

"You mean…lie?" Eliot asked.

"I know, this might seem…underhanded. But it must be done if we want this to end." Miyako put her hand on his back and rubbed. She felt the muscles on his back tense. "Please. Help me."

Eliot furrowed his brow. His hands balled into fists. "Yes."

Miyako could feel her heart breaking.

* * *

Marller tapped her arm and yawned. She had tuned out what was going on in the house after they all went to bed at nine. Nine! Goddamn, how more boring could they get? Play scrabble at night? Scrap booking? Knitting? The husband barely kissed his wife good night. The boy had stayed up, but he buried his nose in a book. She had entertained the thought of slipping in and having her way with the boy, but she had to remain hidden. Besides, once she was done, Vergil never said that she could not have her fun _after_ she got the jewel. And the boy was the only real threat, so…

"Good evening, my lady." A sing-song voice from the dark called.

Her Cait Sith's bristled and growled at the shadows and Marller cracked her knuckles. Her fingernails grew into fearsome claws.

"You again." She said coldly. "What do you want?"

"To make your day." Gentleman said as he materialized. "Because I have someone getting you the last jewel. If you're interested…" The demon let the statement hang.

Marller stared the green demon for a moment before she retracted her claws. "I'm listening."

_Douglas' Sanctuary_

_Russia_

_Saturday-10:29 p.m._

The winds whipped the snow into a fog. The patrolling soldiers were bundled in thermal clothes and thick winter coats as they toted around AK-47s with scopes. All helicopters were grounded and all the cameras were worthless due to the storm, so the only eyes on the ground belonged to the men posted above, not that they could see much.

It was the perfect time for a sneak attack, but the soldiers did not give it much thought. They worked for a corporation, not the army. Corporate warfare was done with papers and meetings, not bullets and missiles. Even considering the recent attacks, who would target a private getaway home in the middle of the harsh tundra?

Four men walked along the fenced area, concentrating more on keeping themselves from freezing than making sure the perimeter was secure. The lead man stopped the group and pointed ahead. Two large wolves stood a few feet away, unconcerned about the cold. The men conversed in Russian, amazed that wildlife would be out instead of huddled together in shelter.

Another thing the perplexed them was how did they get inside the area? The entire airfield was surrounded by 12 foot tall fencing with barbed wire and five feet of reinforced concrete for the base. The fence had no gates as there were no roads going out, everything was flown in.

The lead man suddenly fell, a flaming arrow stuck to his back. The others raised their rifles, looking for the attacker. Their eyes registered three bodies already upon them, but could do nothing as rusted blades tore through them. Other squads ran into the same fate as the attackers used the snow as a cloak, stealthily eliminating their targets before slipping back into the white void.

The movements of the attackers were contradictory. When they attacked, they did so with a white hot fury, a hatred that gripped men's souls. But when they moved on, walked away from the bodies towards the entrance of the facility, it was mechanical and soulless. The wind and frost did not affect them, but the cold did not affect the dead.

Bolverk moved through the gapping hole in the fence flanked by two Pillagers with flaming crossbows at the ready. Too easy. These humans were used to warring against each other. They were defenseless against the demonic. They already had the airfield and the surface secured without incident or alarm.

The Dark Knight had lead troops into war more times than a human could grasp, but working with the Army of the Fallen was different. The troops he once commanded had honor and pride, they were real. These walking corpses on the other hand were just blank slates. They did what they were told without question or hesitation. They had no experience to draw upon, no opinions to offer, no emotions other than rage. They marched into the fiercest battles without pause, but that was not due to courage, they just did not feel fear. Still, they were useful.

-Find the women. Kill them and anyone who dares stand against us.- Bolverk commanded. –But not the son of Sparda. His life is mine.-

* * *

Dante groaned and propped a boot upon the plush opal colored couch, trying to get comfortable. He wanted to have his old couch that he broke in. He had propped Rebellion against the wall next to him.

The French woman had called in her sister for a private talk, most likely to pop the question about her and DOATEC. Knowing the two, a good two hours of jabbering was a given, which meant he had some time to himself. A pity he had nothing to do. No television, no video games, and just recently no alcohol, thanks to Helena's insistence. Apparently going on a drunken bender was frowned upon unless you are the boss.

A pillow suddenly thumped him over the head. The offending pillow was yanked away before he could grab it. Christie stood over him, wearing her silver cat suit, grinning and tossed the pillow onto the couch.

"What was that for?" Dante asked, running a hand through his hair.

"For being a lump." She fell into a nearby matching chair and crossed her legs. "And boring."

"I'm out of bed and I'm dressed, what more do you want from me?" Dante growled.

"So," Christie melded into the chair, "can't think of anything to do, eh?"

"I thought about cruisin' the net for porn, but that 'click here if you over 18' thing always confuses me."

"It's a conundrum." Christie said dryly. "So, Ms. Helena is still having her heart to heart with her baby sister?"

"Pretty much." Dante sighed. "Although I doubt they'll start doing each other's hair and play truth or dare."

"It's funny. A young sheltered spoiled French girl is asking a younger sheltered spoiled Japanese girl to take over a multi-billion dollar international corporation." Christie shook her head. "It's so pathetic that I would feel bad laughing at it."

"It's all a matter of perspective I guess." Dante said.

Christie regarded Dante with cool eyes. "I suppose the boyfriend should defend his girl."

"Me and Frenchy aren't boyfriend and girlfriend." Dante rolled his eyes.

"Then what are you?" Christie's voice made Dante envision a cougar prowling.

"Who knows?" Dante shrugged. "After all, I thought we were going study."

Christie caught the sarcastic edge in his voice. "Well, I was debating on whether I should start picking out a wedding dress, but then I thought it was a bit premature." She said as sarcastically as he did. "But you're in quite a cock up. Shagging two women who want to kill each other." She tsked and shook her head. "Whatever will you do?"

"I was thinking about a compromise." Dante cupped his chin. "Something that involves mud or pudding."

Christie did not respond, but the look on her face made Dante weary. She was not angry, but almost like she was mulling the idea round in her head.

The tension broke when Rebellion started to hum with crimson energy. Dante reached out and flicked the sword with his index finger, making it inert once again. "You got any guns?"

"Just this." Christie slipped out a M9 pistol. "Only thing I could get past the guards. Helena had them do a rather…thorough search." Christie smiled would have sent shivers down a normal man's spine. "Pity while they were copping feels I was picking wallets. My next shopping spree is on them."

"Cute." Dante snatched Rebellion and pushed himself off the couch. "But yer gonna need more than a pea shooter."

"I know where the armory is, I can make a quick stop." Christie got up as well. "I'm guessing something bad will happen soon."

"Nope." Dante slung the sword over his shoulder. "It's already happened."

The dull thud of gunfire came from above. An alarm breached their ears along with a voice screaming in Russian over the intercom.

"He's say we're under attack." Christie said. "By…something. He's not making any-"

The overhead speakers suddenly made a screeching noise that caused Christie to flinch, followed by wet, gurgling sounds.

"How soon can you get to the armory?" Dante asked.

"Getting to it? 70 seconds, tops. Getting in? If this card I plucked from one of the guards doesn't work, a while, maybe ten minutes."

"Get there. Load up. And get to Helena. I'll do what I can." Dante started walking off. "I know you two want each other dead but I'm pretty sure you don't want someone else doing that for ya."

"You don't have to remind me, love." Christie cooed. Soon her footsteps faded as she sprinted down the hall.

* * *

The Russian soldiers, to Bolverk's surprise, were quick to retaliate in an orderly fashion. He had heard of the Russian iron will in their armed forces, even after the fall of their former government, but he did not expect them to fight so ferociously or with such precision. After the shock of their attack had worn off, they had reorganized quickly and began to cut off the advance at the choke points of the facility. But in the end, they were mercenaries, not true soldiers. And mercenaries had more concern over wealth than in serving a greater cause. They still fell like any other human.

Bolverk motioned for his Ravagers to move forward to a makeshift machine gun nest the soldiers had set up at the end of a hallway. The soldiers had used grenades against the clusters of troops he sent in but they had run out and they were cut off from the others. Humans had created some very peculiar and very deadly weapons, but all weapons had their weaknesses and Bolverk had already identified their weakness, they were only deadly with ammunition. And another weakness he discovered, the humans had neglected their close quarters combat expertise. Knives were a poor substitute for swords and axes.

When he sent the Ravagers in, the humans had started reloading the big gun. They had attempted to defend their position with small arms fire. But they could not stem the tide of demons. He heard the screams and the attempted retaliations, but soon he heard nothing but the lumbering march of the Ravagers.

Despite a few set backs, everything was going according to plan. Soon the base would be purged of the humans and the French woman would lie dead at his feet. All he had to worry about was the youngest son of Sparda.

Freki and Geri started to whine. They smelled the half-breed nearby.

* * *

Dante did not have to look far for a fight. A quartet of walking skeletons in decaying armor with hand axes, swords and shields had burst through a door, baying for blood. Dante sliced through the lead demon without trouble. The other two had tried to attack Dante while his blade was still in their comrade. Dante had let go of his sword, letting it dig into the wall, whipped out Ebony and Ivory and blasted the two demons in their faces with .45 calibur rounds. As the two fell, the forth had slipped behind Dante for a sneak attack. Without missing a beat, Dante had curled his arms behind him and squeezed off the last few rounds into the demon, causing it to stumble back. Dante tossed the guns into the air, yanked Rebellion from the wall, and jammed it into the demon. He hoisted the skeleton over his head and slammed back to the ground, shattering it like a cheap plastic toy.

"Great, these guys again." Dante groaned and placed his sword on his back. He had tangled with Ravagers before a few times, but they were always disorganized, sometimes they even fought amongst themselves. He had a feeling one of his brother's goons was now in charge of them.

He snatched his guns when they fell, ejected the spent clips, reloaded, and jammed them back into their holsters.

He walked down the hall and saw the aftermath of the demons aggression. Dante stepped over bodies and spent ammo cases. His boots squelched as he stepped in blood and organs. The smell that invaded his nostrils boiled up feelings that made him remember why he became a demon hunter in the first place. A lone Ravager hacked away at a hunk of meat that was once a body. The demon snapped his head to Dante, its body heaved like it was out of breath, even though it had no lungs. The hollow sockets burned with a rage that was never quenched and hatred that transcended time.

"Awww…is boo upset?" Dante asked. The thing screeched in an unholy voice and charged. Dante blew its head off. "Get the fuck over it."

He stepped over the fallen beast without a second look. The hallway fed into a larger room full of bodies, human and otherwise, almost ankle deep in liquid. Dante briefly wondered just how many people Helena had stationed here. Then lights flickered and died.

"Must've gotten the power-"

The lights flashed back on and Dante found himself surrounded by Ravagers and their larger cousins, Carnagers. They screamed and roared at Dante, clanging their armor and weapons, creating a hurricane of noise that shook the walls.

"Great, it's like I'm at a death metal concert." Dante sighed and cleaned out his ear with a finger.

The demons in front of him moved to let someone through. The screaming continued as a lone figure emerged from the darkness and stood in front of Dante.

"Well, there he is, the man of the hour." Dante clapped. "Been wonderin' when you'd show up, I was getting' tired of schoolin' these dead heads."

Bolverk raised his spear and pointed it at Dante.

"Ok, you wanna another beat down?" Dante shrugged and grabbed Rebellion. "Fine by me. Bring it."


	38. cold hearts, hot blood

A/N: Wow…what the hell happened to me? I actually didn't write for two weeks. I know I usually have an excuse, but this time…well let's just say a lot of little things took me. Friends, family, school work, everything seemed to suddenly have a problem I needed to fix. But now I'm back on track.

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: DMC owned by Capcom. DOA and NG owned by Team Ninja and Tecmo.

**Dead or Alive 4: The Devil Factor**

**Chapter 38: Cold Hearts, Hot Blood**

_Douglas' Sanctuary_

_Russia_

_Saturday-10:58 p.m._

The blaring alarms and sporadic gunfire might have made it difficult for some people to keep from freaking out, let alone create cognitive thoughts, but for Christie, it might as well be a lullaby. She already had several plans in her head to tackle the current problem, including a few rapid escape plans should things take a turn for the worse. Right now she was already in stage one: get to the armory, followed by stage two: load up, and finally stage three: kill everything inhuman.

She slid to a stop in front of an armored door with a card reader. She snapped her pistol up, checking the area for hostiles. The hallway was empty, but these demons showed that they could appear from thin air, still, had to check. Keeping her back to the door, she slipped out the card she lifted from a guard and slid it through the reader. The little red light winked to green, the small motors whirred, and the door popped open.

She shot a quick look into the room to see if it was empty and than backed in, her pistol still at the ready. After three steps in she ducked underneath something large that whooshed over her head, tucked and rolled, brought her gun up, and fired. The bullets careened off hard metal. Sparks flew like little fireworks. The light showed a large man-shaped thing encased in decaying dark armor and holding onto a large duel edged axe. Once her gun clicked empty, she noticed that the thing's armor was like the cat demons' she faced in Japan, bulletproof.

Well, bullet resistant. She had not tried high caliber rounds on it.

The thing pushed its weight towards her and brought the axe down. Again, she managed to evade the attack, rolling further away from its range. She made a quick survey of the room, guns lined the walls, stacked with ammunition cases and other weapons, including one that caught her eye, an old Soviet-era rocket propelled grenade launcher, an RPG.

Unfortunately, her joy came crashing down when she took the full size of the room into account. The blast from the weapon would kill her too. There had to be something…

The creature was upon her far quicker than she had imagined. For something loaded down with head to toe armor, it could move pretty swiftly when it wanted to. She slipped under its attack and ran to the other side of the room, grabbing the first gun she could get her hands on, a pump riot shotgun, an empty shotgun. She had a feeling that all the guns were not loaded.

The demon whirled around, dragging its weapon on the ground, leaving a large gouge in the floor, an angry growl rattled in its helmet. It marched toward her, grunting and barking.

She found a box of shells, ripped it open, and hand fed each slug into the gun, keeping her eyes set on the approaching demon. When it was a few feet in range, she flicked off the safety, pumped the gun, and fired. The shot struck the demon in its stomach, it's marched stumbled, but it kept coming. She pumped the gun again and aimed for the demon's head. The shot hit its mark, but the demon's axe was already in motion.

Christie rolled away from the blade as it cleaved the wall, cutting down the displayed weapons like blades of grass. She pumped the gun. The demon reached out and snatched the shotgun by its barrel, crushing it with ease. Without hesitation, she let the gun go, whipped out a small knife, and plunged it into the closest gap in its armor. Nothing. Not even a jolt. The demon flexed, causing the armor pieces to snap together, breaking the knife.

"Oh, bullocks." Christie muttered and stepped back, looking for something to use. "Russia has over twelve thousand nuclear weapons, why isn't there one here?"

The demon stepped forward, taking the axe in both hands. Christie saw the dents in the demon's armor from the shotgun. A chunk of the helmet had broken off revealing a jawbone with a single moldy tooth.

"A skeleton?" Christie snorted, still backing up. "What are you, a Scooby-Doo villain?"

The closest weapons within arms reach were machine guns and sniper rifles, none of which were good for close quarters fighting. Ironically, she was loaded with knives and other bladed weapons that appeared useless against a target that was not 'soft'. Knives were used to tear into flesh and organs, not bone and metal.

The demon hoisted the axe over its head. She had already moved before the weapon came crashing down. The British assassin snatched an AK-74, an update version of the old 47 models, and a clip. In a flash, she had the gun loaded, cocked, and aimed at the demon, specifically the hole she created. The demon, however, lifted the axe to cover its face. The bullets pinged off the metal, barely chipping away at the weapon. Christie cursed, but kept firing as the demon had slowed his advanced.

The demon suddenly reached out and grabbed Christie by the throat. She kept firing the gun uselessly until she spent the last round and let the gun drop. Her hands grasped at the metal gauntlet. The demon pulled back on the axe, aiming it for her head.

Christie smiled and took a little something special she had grabbed during the fight and slipped between her breasts. She pulled the pin on the grenade and jammed it into the broken hole. The demon dropped both her and his weapon and fumbled with the device, trying to pry it out. Christie scooted away and took great satisfaction when the demon's head was ripped apart by the explosion.

The demon fell to its knees before it dropped to the ground, shaking Christie to her teeth. The snowy haired woman pushed herself up and dusted her hands off.

Standing over the remains of the demon, she toed the gaping hole on the demon where its head once sat. The chest and shoulder plating was badly scarred, but still intact.

"I wish I knew what your armor is, I'd have my car made out of it." Christie let out a soft impressed whistle. "I doubt your friends will let their guard down like you. I'm going to need some serious firepower."

She looked around, this time letting herself fully take in the inventory: rifles, machine guns, sub-machine guns, and various other tools of death. Not a bad collection, but she always had an aversion to Russian weaponry. Russian weapons were brutal, but they lacked the finesse of European guns, but they got the job done.

She started walking along the walls, examining the guns like a teen girl looking for her first prom dress.

"Oooh." Christie hefted a Dragunov sniper rifle. "This would look good on me. Now, do they have any armor piercing rounds?"

* * *

Dante waited for the attack. His previous encounters with Bolverk had taught him to watch the spear and the dogs. The dogs kept you occupied while the spear took you out from a distance. Of course, the demons in the room presented another distraction.

Of course, this assumed anything would happen at all.

"Feel free to take the first shot." Dante said. "Unless you need your cheerleaders here to do the fightin' for ya?"

Aside from the 'cheerleaders' still screaming in his ear, no one was moving. Even the wolves stood like statues except for a flick of their tails.

"Fuck it." Dante muttered, pulled out Ivory, and fired.

Bolverk sliced the bullet from the air. Freki and Geri swept out from under their master and aimed themselves at Dante, turning into living torpedoes. Dante leaped over the demon dogs with ease. Flipping himself upside down, Dante spun in the air and fired his guns, the Rain Storm, he called it. The demon wolves shrugged off the bullets with their thick hides and dense muscles.

Still in the air, Dante took notice of Bolverk as it swiped its spear at him. A scar ran across the room with the demon's swing. Dante held up Rebellion like a shield, taking the brunt of the attack, pushing him back. He landed into the midst of the Ravager horde, keeping himself crouched and his sword at the ready.

"Hey fellas." Dante asked, noticing the hungry looks in their glowing fire eyes. "Enjoying the show?"

A force suddenly slashed through the demons, breaking them apart like toys in a hurricane. All the Ravagers were laid in pieces on the ground. The scars along the walls were a tale-tell sign of what happened.

"What is it with you demons and killing off your own goons?" Dante asked. "Seriously, henchmen in Bond films have it better than these clowns."

-They were in the way.- Bolverk lowered his spear. –Only I will carve your heart out and fed it to my dogs, abomination.-

"Abomination? Me?" Dante almost laughed. "Dude, have you looked in a mirror lately?"

-I am purest of the demon warriors.- Bolverk moved forward. –You're just a mongrel. Part this and that. Never to be whole. Your existence is a joke."

"First of all, don't get all Sigmund Freud on me when you're holding you 'spear of over compensating'." Dante pointed. "And second, aren't you taking orders from another 'joke'?"

-Your brother will get what's coming to him, eventually.- Bolverk replied calmly. –You on the other hand, your reckoning is today.-

Bolverk stabbed his spear in the ground. The room warped and shifted. The colors blurred together like runny paints. When the room finally stopped, it was a twisted visage of itself.

"I think someone's running out of ideas." Dante called out. "I stomped your bony ass into the ground the last time you pulled this demonic fun-house shit on me." The demon wolves returned to their master's side. Bolverk pulled free his blade. "Oh well," Dante spun his guns around before pointing them at the trio. "Guess history just loves to repeat itself, eh?"

Dante fired.

* * *

"What's going on?" Kokoro repeated herself for the third. She stood in front of a heavy metal plate that slid down over the wooden door once the alarms started.

"Keep calm, dear." Helena said, typing away at her computer. "I'm sure it's nothing to worry about."

It was a lie of course, but Helena did not have anything better to say. She tried calling outside the room once the lockdown activated, but aside from some rather dreadful sounds of men dying, no one answered her. Her current attempt was to access the stronghold's camera and surveillance network to see what was going on.

"I hear gunfire." Kokoro whispered. She had pressed her ear against the door. "We're being attacked, aren't we?"

"Don't worry. We're safe in here." Helena said.

She finally managed to get into the surveillance system and began cycling through cameras. A few were dead; the cameras must have been destroyed. A few more showed empty hallways. Her stomach sank when she came across rooms swathed in blood and bodies pilled in corners. She stopped her shuffle at a camera down the hall. A soldier was shooting at something off screen. He stopped once his rifle ran out of ammunition. He ejected the spent clip and fumbled with a new one when a lumbering skeleton clad in ancient European armor came into the frame, and promptly buried an axe into the man's head. Helena cringed as the demon kept hacking, sending out streams of blood with every swing.

"I don't hear guns anymore." Kokoro pulled away from the shield. "Is it over?"

"Uh…no." Helena closed the link. "It's not." She opened a desk door and grabbed her Glock.

"Wh…what's that for?" Kokoro asked, holding her arms together. "Why do you need that gun?"

Helena remembered that while Kokoro was an excellent fighter, she was not used to the violence of DOATEC and demons.

"It's for protection, _mon chère_." Helena held the gun tightly. "We'll be safe." Helena was not sure if she was saying that to calm her sister or herself.

The room shook for a split second, causing both women to jump.

Helena feverously typed at her laptop to get the link back. The camera popped up just in time for the skeleton to be ripped apart by a hail of gunfire. Once the shooting stopped, a person, a woman, lithe in silver darted past. Christie. She was coming here.

Relief did not come to Helena.

"Kokoro." Helena said. "Please get away from the door."

The Japanese teenager hesitantly complied, the look in her eyes made Helena realize that she still had a long way to go to earn her sister's complete trust.

The French soprano checked the camera aimed in front of her office. Christie had her back to the metal door, a large gun in her hands, sweeping the hallway. The white haired woman reached behind her and pounded on the door, unaware that the metal plate behind it muted the noise on the opposite side. Helena stared at the screen a bit longer before hitting the switch, raising the metal plate and releasing the door. Christie had already slipped in before the door fully swung open.

"I think it's safe to say that your little hideout has been breached." Christie kicked the door shut, keeping the gun on it. "This place is crawling." When the metal plate slid back in, Christie raised her eyebrows in appreciation.

"So I see." Helena replied. "Where's Dante?"

"Taking care of the infestation." Christie slung the gun across her shoulders and hung her arms off it. "So I suggest we girls sit tight while the man of the house squashes the bugs."

Helena took a better look at the British assassin. The woman was swathed with weapons and paraphernalia. Grenades dangled from her waist like key chains. Ammunition pouches and clips were hooked to belts that crisscrossed her torso. Two large Russian rocket launchers were tied to her back in an X pattern. Several other smaller guns were in holsters on her body. Kokoro gave the woman a goofy grin.

"What?" Christie asked.

"Nothing, Rambo." Kokoro giggled.

"By the way," Christie turned to Helena, "is there any gun in this hole in the ground not made during the bloody Cold War?" She tapped the gun, a Russian chain-fed light machine gun. "This was taken out of service in the 60's."

"This hideaway was built at my father's request before either of us was born." Helena crossed her arms. "He stocked it, he hired the men, and he bribed the Russian government to erase it off any maps. And I only discovered it several months ago along with many other secrets. So forgive me for not getting the shiny new models. Upgrading this place is on my to-do list."

"Are you using sarcasm, Lady Helena?" Christie rolled her eyes. "Because I can't tell."

Helena pinched the bridge of her nose. "We should leave. This place is no longer safe."

"In here, we are." Christie replied. "We hole up in here, Dante does what he does best, and this place will be monster free before daylight."

"It's not the monsters out there I'm worried about." Helena shot back.

Christie smirked. "I'm sorry if I make you nervous, but staying here is our best option."

Helena went over to her desk and pressed a switch next to the door release. A bookcase hissed before it pushed forward slightly and slid open to reveal a barely lit tunnel.

"Wow." Kokoro whispered. "Cool."

"Yes, very Batman." Christie shook her head. "Moving right now is bad idea. Especially for an enemy that can literally pop out of thin air."

"What's to stop them from popping up in here? There's a private helicopter in a hidden hanger, a new one." Helena glared at Christie. "It'll take us out of here."

"And Dante?" The British woman nodded to the door. "Are we going to leave him behind?"

"I'll send a task force to retake the complex when we reach the DOATEC headquarters in Moscow." Helena said business-like. "But right now we have to move VIPs from the area."

"VIPs? You mean you?" Christie asked with her smarmy tone.

"I mean her." Helena looked over to her sister. "She's too valuable." She touched Kokoro's cheek. "We need to get you somewhere safe."

"No." Kokoro replied, taking the hand away. "We don't abandon friends."

Helena tried her best not to choke. Kokoro had no idea how hard it was for Helena to abandon her…no, now was that time to think about it.

"Well, looks like its two verses one." Christie crossed her arms. "Unless you pull your 'I'm the boss' rubbish on us."

"We're not abandoning him." Helena said to Kokoro, ignoring Christie. "He's doing what he's paid to do. And Dante's a strong man, he can take care of himself."

"I don't care." Kokoro shook her head fiercely. "He's a friend, you said it yourself, someone we can depend on. Well, how can we depend on him if he can't depend on us?"

"How cute. Loyal, honorable, and morally upright." Christie smiled. "Refresh my memory, how is she corporate leader material again?"

Helena shot the other woman a glare.

"I'm not leaving." Kokoro crossed her arms with the best look of defiance she could muster.

Helena turned away for a moment. She wiped her face with her bare hand, not caring about smearing her make-up. They might have seen her as cold hearted and willing to throw away Dante like a used tissue, but neither of them knew how much it felt like her heart was being pulled out in small chunks. Her memory flashed with Dante and his damn, stupid, cocky, smile. The way he kept knocking down her walls no matter how hard she tried. The way his hands knew where to touch her for…

"Very well. We'll go after him." Helena turned back, dispelling her last thought. "But we stick together. And we keep out of the fight as much as possible."

"Ok." Kokoro enthusiastically bounced.

"No promises." Christie chuckled and slung the gun off her shoulders.

Helena gave another sour look before returning to her desk and opening the way out.

_Eliot's residence_

_Great Britain_

_Saturday-11:26 p.m._

Miyako stepped into the guest bedroom, her heart a bundle of tense cables. Everyday she felt like she was losing another piece of her soul, but it would be worth it.

The guest bedroom held a single bed, but Robert pulled a deep blue inflatable mattress from storage and set it up. The guest room had many frills and throw pillows and tiny tables that held tiny decorations. Perhaps Miyako was missing something cultural, but she felt that the room was rather…over decorated, choked with useless knick-knacks. The room felt cold, cluttered, like a room in a doll house. The room was a sign of a lonely, frantic housewife trying to busy herself to keep her mind from playing tricks on her. A woman who holds on to her loved ones with an iron grip, afraid of being left behind, useless.

Miyako knew how strong the nesting instinct was, to turn a house into a home, but this was overkill.

"Where'd you disappear to?" Ayame asked while combing her hair, unbound by her ponytail.

Miyako forced her voice to stay steady. "I had a talk with Eliot. The boy has been through a lot and I thought he would appreciate someone to talk to."

"Oh?" Ayame had her eyes closed. "What did he say?"

Miyako shrugged. "Just little things boys are interested in. At least the ones they are comfortable talking to women with. You get them started on something and suddenly they clam up." Miyako was not sure why she was lying so much.

"Hmm. My son was the same way. They tell you everything until they hit puberty." The woman sighed. "Then you have to pull teeth to get them to say more than four words to you."

Miyako noticed something on the bed near the woman. Her heart wobbled, like a spinning top losing its momentum and about to fall over. "That's a lovely hair ornament."

"Oh, thank you." Ayame smiled and took the ornament from her hand. "It's something my husband gave to me for our anniversary. I don't really wear it, except for special occasions, but I keep it close by."

The ornament was a Kanoko Dome, a flat circular end with a two prongs for the hair. The Kanoko Dome was a simple in appearance, a flower pattern in metal with a golden finish. At the center of the circular end was a small jewel that Miyako recognized from Gentleman's stories.

* * *

Eliot yawned and opened the refrigerator door. After a few hours of tossing and turning, sleep continued to elude him, despite feeling utterly exhausted. He rummaged around, looking for something to eat, even though he was not really hungry. After pushing aside things with sugar and caffeine, he spotted a container of applesauce, 100% natural with no preservatives or sweeteners. Mother was particular with her foods. Mother was particular about everything.

With a sigh, Eliot snatched the applesauce cup and peeled open the top. He reached for the silverware drawer.

Something caught the corner of his eye, in the darkness of the room, movement. He snapped his head around and saw the thing more clearly. A cat, a large cat, black as the shadows. The cat had a metal helmet and front claws. A demon.

"Who are you?" Eliot asked, refusing to let the fear to paralyze him. "What do…?"

The cat pounced. Eliot slid out of the way. The demon plowed into the refrigerator, crushing it like a runaway wrecking ball. Eliot's bare feet stuck to the wooden floor, his mind raced. He had to warn his family once the current problem was taken care of.

The cat ripped itself free from the husk and growled at its human prey. Eliot swiftly scanned the room, looking for others. None, he was alone with the demon.

"Come!" Eliot yelled in Chinese and assumed an aggressive stance.

The cat circled him. Its large legs bristled with muscle and the metal front claws clacked against the wood. Eliot was not sure if he was seeing things due to sleep deprivation, but black mist trailed the beast, like smoke came from an unseen fire from its body.

The demon shot forward, its claws extended. Eliot ducked and brought his fist up in an uppercut, connecting with the demon's jaw. The cat snapped back and bounced hard on the floor, tearing off a huge chunk.

_Father will kill me for that._ Eliot thought.

The demon cat rolled to its feet and bared its fangs, seemingly unhurt.

_If that thing doesn't kill me first. _Eliot backed up.

The demon shot out, again. Eliot spun around…and caught the end of a blade. The shock made him screw up the evasion and he slammed back first into the cupboards. A long gash was ripped into his dark robe and olive colored pajama top. The demon had slammed into the small table area with the stovetop and cookware, shattering it and sending broken utensils flying.

The demon flicked its tail. Something shimmered at its tip, a blade attached to its tail. Eliot shed his robe; he needed to be lighter, faster. Now he needed a weapon. He snatched a 16 centimeter steak knife from the floor. Not exactly a broad sword, but he would have to make due.

"Ok," Eliot held the knife in a combat style. "Here we go."

The demon attacked.

_Douglas' Sanctuary_

_Russia_

_Saturday-11:29 p.m._

Bolverk raced forward, gliding across the mutated floor with his spear ready to pierce. Dante slid out of the way with inhuman quickness. The dogs were upon him. Dante batted one away with a sword swipe. The blade did not cut into the skin, but it did alter the course of the demon. The second dog tried to attack before Dante could complete the slice. Dante introduced the dog to his boot, sending it away like a giant furry football.

Dante brought his sword over his head and intercepted Bolverk's spear before it could slice his head open like a ripe melon. He turned around to face the demon and exchanged a flurry of parries. The skeletal demon was far larger than the demon hunter, but in terms of strength they were hardly lopped sided.

Bolverk suddenly lunged forward and seized Dante by the throat, hoisting him into the air, and jammed its spear into his body. Without missing a beat, Dante emptied Ivory into Bolverk's head. Dazed, Bolverk let go and Dante pushed off the spear by kicking the large demon's chest. With a perfect flip, Dante landed and leveled the grenade launcher, charging it with his demonic power and aimed it dead center on Bolverk. A smile spread across Dante's face.

One of Bolverk's damn wolves wiped it off his face by ramming into the hunter, screwing up his aim. The launcher skidded across the floor, the demonic energy crackled and faded away. Dante found himself on his back with his hands on the wolf's snout, keeping its teeth from his throat. With a swift leg to the groin, Dante catapulted the dog off him.

"Down, boy." Dante muttered and flipped to his feet.

Bolverk was upon him, using the spear in a stabbing attack. Dante pushed back, deflecting every strike with a swipe of Rebellion. The demon tried to end the onslaught with a final stab aimed for his heart. Dante intercepted the attack and brought Rebellion around for a decapitation maneuver. Bolverk moved out of the way, letting the wolves renew their attack. The son of Sparda bashed aside one and snagged another out of the air by the scruff of its neck, throwing it into the other.

"One side, scrubs." Dante quipped. "Big boys at play."

Bolverk rushed in with a spear slice. Dante jumped over the attack and brought Rebellion down. The Dark Knight snapped its spear around and intercepted the blade. The force of the parry sent Dante backwards, head over heels. He landed on his feet, but slid across the floor on his boots, snatching up the grenade launcher.

The wolves struck, attempting to rip him in half with a pincer attack. Dante side kicked one away and jammed the barrel of Ebony into the mouth of the other. The demon latched on, sinking it fangs into Dante's arm, even while he pulled the trigger, pumping ACP rounds into the wolf's gullet.

"Eat up, boy." Dante said with a southern drawl. "We needs t' get you sum kibbles 'n bits."

The wolf refused to let go. Dante whipped his arm, trying to dislodge it. While he flailed, the second wolf tried to attack again, only to be bludgeoned by his comrade.

"Oops." Dante said. "Watch yourself."

-How dare you use my comrades in such a manner.- Bolverk's voice bellowed in his head. –You truly have no honor.-

"Tell that to your pets, dude." Dante said, kicking at the growling wolf. "Seriously, tell him to get off or I'm gonna wear him like a shoe."

Bolverk raised his spear. The wolf relaxed his jaw and let go, but not before snipping at him. Dante tried to smack the demon wolf with the back of his hand, but it hopped away and took its place beside Bolverk with its twin.

"Ya know, what I don't get out of this, is why you're following my brother." Dante checked his arm. "I mean, what, is this one of those undercover, turncoat schemes? Cause I'm pretty sure he might be on to you. Call it a hunch."

-Your brother is too wrapped up in his quest to see anything else.- Bolverk spoke. –Like so many before him, his quest for power blinds him. And he cannot strike down what he cannot see.-

"Have you seen my brother fight?" Dante asked, almost astonished. "He's the one you'll have a problem seeing."

-I've been winning wars against opponents ten times your power before you were even born.- Bolverk's voice began to gnaw at the demon hunter. –Your brother isn't anything I haven't faced before.-

"Big talk from someone who already bit the big one before." Dante spat on the ground. "And besides I…" Dante trailed off when he looked down at his shirt. "Again?" Dante toyed with the new hole in his coat. "I should buy in bulk."

-Enough of your vanity-. Bolverk held his spear up. –We end this.-

"Oh, very original." Dante said with great sarcasm. "I was expecting 'you die now' or 'I challenge you' or 'Dante, I am your father'."

Bolverk brought his spear down. The dogs charged.

* * *

Helena plugged her ears when Christie unleashed another volley from her gun. A trio of skeletons shattered. Why did guns have to be so damn loud?

"That's fifteen for me." Christie blew on the gun barrel. "You two should start trying."

"This isn't a contest." Helena yelled. "Is there something wrong with that brain of yours?"

"A piece of advice, lady." Christie swapped magazines and cocked the gun. "Never criticize a woman who's keeping you safe…and has a gun."

"Hey, come on." Kokoro interjected. "We're all on the same team here."

Helena shot a look at Kokoro.

"You hear that, Helena?" Christie sang. "We need to get along." She opened her arms. "How about a hug and we put this all behind us?"

Helena sneered and walked past the assassin. "Enough. Let's find Dante."

Christie smirked as she watched the French woman walk away. Even when she was angry, she would sway her hips in the way women do when they find that special someone or however the girly romance magazines worded it. Christie cocked her head a bit to get a better view.

Something smashed with through the wall. Helena let out a surprised sound, not quite a scream, but something more…dignified she would have to call it. Even when facing mortal danger the ice queen acted like an ice queen.

"Get down." Christie barked and raised her gun.

Helena hit the floor. Christie sprayed the area. The gun bucked against her shoulder and vibrated her entire body as it spat out armor piercing rounds. The dust from the wall clouded her target, but she aimed in the general area where it most likely stood. Besides, machine guns were not made to be precise; they were made to fill the air with as much bullets as quickly as possible.

After putting half the drum into the air, she lay off the trigger and waited.

Her heart fluttered when one of the big armored brutes stepped out, unharmed. But not out of fear, now she got to try out one of her new toys. Christie let the machine gun drop and pulled out one of the launchers. She dropped to a knee, hefted the bulky weapon onto her shoulder, and lined up her shot.

"Fire in the hole." Christie yelled out. Helena was still on the ground, face down, and covering her head with her hands.

Christie pulled the trigger. With a plume of white smoke, the rocket sped out and struck the demon, center mass. In a fireball, the demon fell with pieces of its armor becoming raining red hot shrapnel.

"Boom." Christie sang. "Now that got my blood pumping." Christie chucked the spent launcher, grabbed the machine gun, and stood up. "We're clear."

Slowly and shakily Helena pushed herself up. Lose pieces of plaster and demon armor fell off her as she stood. The French woman turned, her face sculpted with utter astonishment.

"What?"

"You…you saved me?" Helena almost choked with disbelief.

"Of course." Christie said without sarcasm. "It's what you pay me for."

Helena, gaping like a fish out of water, stared at Christie for bit before shaking her head and muttering something to herself in French. Christie could not make out most of it but she could have sworn she heard 'bitch' and 'killer'.

"You're welcome, by the way." Christie said. She noticed the third girl in their troupe was also staring at her, but with a goofy grin.

"Nice shooting." Kokoro said.

"Years of practice, love." Christie smiled.

"Um…think you could teach me?" Kokoro smiled back.

"Come along, Kokoro." Helena suddenly grabbed the Japanese girl's wrist and pulled her away.

Christie chuckled. Cute girl. Better than her stick in the mud sister.

_Eliot's residence_

_Great Britain_

_Saturday-11:31 p.m._

Robert dug through his closet, tearing open plastic containers filled with old junk that his wife had piled up in the corner. When he heard the crashing sounds coming from the first floor, he wanted to investigate, but not without protection.

"Robert?" Margaret shakily asked, clinging to herself and her breezy nightwear. "What are you looking for?"

"Something to show my point that people shouldn't break into other people's homes and not expect a bonk on the head." Robert brandished his old high school cricket bat.

Margaret was dumbfounded for a few moments until she tore off the bed sheets in an attempt to get out of bed. "I'll go find Eliot and make sure he's safe."

"No." Robert held up a hand. "You stay here. It isn't safe."

"I'm not going to sit here while my baby is in danger." Margaret protested.

"Margaret, this isn't the time," Robert barked. "You stay here and lock the door behind me, is that clear?"

His wife trembled. He hated talking to the woman he loved in such a gruff tone, but now was a very dangerous time. His home had fallen under attack and he needed to protect his family.

"Ok." His wife nodded. She looked like she would break apart with a slight breeze. "Just…find our son and bring him to me."

"I will." Robert leaned in and kissed his wife. "Just stay here."

Robert, ignoring the fact he was wearing flannel pajamas and matching robe, felt like he could take on whatever was going on…until he heard a sound that reminded him of a car running into a wall he once saw as a kid.

Margaret's face drained of color. Robert let out an uneasy sigh and opened the door. Two figures suddenly leapt through the door, almost making Robert swing his bat…and make a mess in his boxers. What kept him from bashing the two intruders were the colorful kimonos they wore.

"Ayame?" Robert gasped. "Miyako? What are you doing?"

The two Japanese women looked skittish, Miyako clung to Ayane. "We…we heard sounds and…"

"Where's Eliot?" Margaret stepped forward. "Did you see him?"

"You mean he's not here?" Ayane's voice sank. "We checked his room and he was not there."

Another loud crash made everyone in the room jump.

"Oh, God." Margaret moaned. "He must be downstairs." She put her hands on her cheeks in worry. "Oh God, oh God, oh-"

"Margaret!" Robert took his wife by her arms and gently shook her. "Get a hold of yourself. Everything's going to be alright."

"Oh, God, my poor little boy. Oh, God." Margaret said like she was talking to someone else.

"It's ok." Ayame pried Robert's hands off. "We'll look after her. You go find your son. Please."

Robert let out an uneven sigh and gripped the bat tighter. He looked at his wife, shivering like she was freezing and staring at nothing. Ayame tried to soothe the woman by stroking her curly blonde hair and setting her down on the bed. Miyako stood silently, her hands clasped together, looking at the floor. She jumped when Robert spoke her name and asked her to lock the door behind him. She nodded, still flustered, and followed behind him.

The door suddenly broke open, shredded into a thousand slivers of wood, blasting Robert and Miyako on their bums. A figure, very feminine and curvy stood in the demolished doorway.

"How kind." A voice came from the figure, smooth as silk but bubbling with gleeful malice. "You're all here huddled up like scared kittens."

Robert lashed out with the bat. The woman swatted at the wooden instrument like she was shooing away a fly. The bat fell apart into four neatly cut pieces.

"Easy, big boy." The woman purred. "The night's still young, plenty of time to get frisky."

"Who the hell are you?" Robert yelled. "What do you want?"

The woman stepped in. Robert could see that the woman was dressed in a very…explicit manner. It was something made of animal fur, like a one piece bathing suit. He noticed that her nails were far too long and thick to be normal. And her irises were slits like a cat's.

"I'm Marller, the one currently in charge of who lives and dies right now" the woman purred. "And here are the rules of the game. I want something one of you has. Give it to me, and you all get to live another one of your bland days. Don't, and you all volunteer to become my living scratching posts."

"Where's my boy?" Margaret shrieked. "What have you done to him you…trollop?"

Marller threw her head back and laughed. "Trollop? That's a new one. But I've been called worse, dear. Good effort though." Marller sighed and ran her claws through her hair. "Your little boy is preoccupied, he's playing with one of my cute lil' kitty-cats. So don't be surprised if he comes back with scratches."

"You…bitch." Margaret spat out. "How dare you-"

"Stop, harlot of the night!"

The woman snapped her head around. Eliot stood in a fighter's pose with a fierce stare…and his pajamas in tatters, sliced apart like they were put in a washing machine filled with razors.

"Harlot of the night?" Marller asked with a raised eyebrow. "Really?"

Eliot looked at the floor for a moment. "Sorry, that sounded cooler in my head, for some reason."

Marller giggled. "Oh, you are just too precious for words, little boy." She peered behind him. "I take it you took care of the Cait Sidhe I sent to keep you entertained.

Before Eliot could answer, a large animal, a cat, with armored front legs and helmet wobbled behind Eliot like a drunkard exiting an all-night bar. Its body was littered with various knives and other sharp instruments from the kitchen. The cat mewed sickly, took two staggering steps forward before it collapsed.

"Impressive." Marller turned fully to the boy. "But if you had a problem with _one_ of my little kitty cats, then I doubt you'll be a challenge for me. So why don't you-"

Her boasting was cut short when Eliot suddenly appeared within her personal space, seemingly from across the hall. The boy lashed out with precise and powerful strikes. The strikes were not fast but rather they _flowed_. One punch would lead to a palm strike that seemed as natural as a flower blooming. Marller instinctively slashed with her claws, but her surprise made the attack clumsy. The blond haired boy easily ducked under the wayward attack and slammed his fist into her face. He ended the barrage with a kick that pushed her back a few feet.

Marller gave a chuckle that evolved into a soul clenching laugh. "Not bad, boy, not bad." She wiped the dark blood from her nose.

"Next time, I won't hold back because I think you're just a pretty lady."

The woman's smile almost made Eliot shiver. "Oh…oh ho ho. You." She pointed at him. "I like you." She stood erect. "I'll also like it when I have you lick my feet…and maybe more."

"You keep your filthy hands off my son, whore." Margaret spat out.

"Mother, please." Eliot called out.

"Yes, mommy, don't coddle the boy." Marller purred. "He'll be a grown man soon, once I'm done with him."

"You…you…" Margaret choked with sheer anger.

"Enough from the peanut gallery." Marller raised her claws at the English mother.

* * *

The woman turned to face the charging boy. Robert almost shouted a warning to his son that it was all a trap to make him attack first, but what happened next killed his voice. The boy lashed out, aiming for a knock out punch, but the woman turned into a dark mist that disintegrated on his fist. Eliot turned around, expecting an attack from behind, but none came. Even the cat he had faced disappeared with only a pile of the kitchen utensils a clue that he was ever there in the first place.

"She's gone?" Eliot asked, whipping his head around, expecting an attack at any moment. "It can't be that simple."

"Eliot, honey, are you alright?" Margaret reached out.

"Moth-" Eliot managed to get out before Marller raked his back with her claws. The boy stumbled and fell.

"Eliot!" Margaret screamed as her husband held her back. "No! My baby!"

"Well, that was enough fun and games for the night." Marller licked her claws clean while she stood over the fallen teen. "But I have a job to do."

"Why are you doing this?" Robert yelled, holding his wife with an iron grip. "What the hell do you want?"

"One of you has something that I want. A little jewel about this big." She used her fingers to show that the object would easily fit in a person's palm. "I know one of you has it, so I suggest-"

The woman suddenly fell when Eliot swept her legs. He flipped to his feet and pounced on the woman, pinning her hands, the only weapon she seemed to have.

"Run." Eliot yelled out, still holding on to the woman. "Now."

Robert grabbed his wife by the wrist and pushed the other women to the door. Ayame and Miyako stumbled, but ran without much prodding. His wife, on the other hand, he almost had to drag out.

"No!" She called out. "We can't leave my baby!"

Robert did not reply, instead he yanked on his wife's arm and pulled her with him. "Everyone, downstairs." He yelled. "Now!"

* * *

Eliot kept his hands tight on the woman's wrists with the strength he usually reserved for the tournaments and training. Despite the woman's form, he knew she had enough strength to crush a man.

"Well, well, quite the daring fellow, aren't you?" The woman asked like the entire situation was a prank. "What's next, are you going to…spank me?"

Eliot glared and tried not to think about the fact that he was pressing himself against the woman. "You threatened my family. Your kind attacked my temple. I'm going to do more to you than a simple 'spanking'."

"Ooooh." The woman eyes went wide. "Sounds like a date."

Eliot fought to hold on to his focus, but something was making his blood boil. It was more than anger. It was something more basic and primitive, from the core of his essence. He could feel a tingling at the back of his head and around his…well like he said, his blood was boiling.

"What's wrong, sweetness?" Marller cooed. "Feeling under the weather?"

He noticed that there was a fragrance in the air, something sweet and pleasing. The more he inhaled, the more his mind felt like sludge. He had to concentrate to fight off pure instinct that screamed at him. "What…is…," Eliot grit his teeth and shook his head. "What did you do to me?"

"Oops, I forgot to mention a little detail." She purred. "My scent can drive a man to bloodlust or just plain lust if I wanted to. A defense mechanism, I believe you call it. I find it particularly effective on humans."

Eliot tried to suppress the growing desire, but the drive was nothing he had ever felt before. Even the most potent urges he experienced when puberty hit could not compare. It was like comparing a bird bath to an Olympic swimming pool.

She suddenly licked his face, causing lighting to course through his veins and his body to go rigid as a wooden plank. "So, big boy, what are you going to do to me now?"

Eliot jumped off her. The boiling pressure reached its peak and almost made him blind. He wanted to rip the clothes from her body, grab her by the hair, and…no he need to clear his head, he needed the feelings out. He crawled down the hallway and snatched one of the knives. He roared with all his might and brought the knife down on his hand. The pain flooded his senses, washing away the lust. He gasped for breath as he regained his wits.

Something struck the back of his head. His wits, his focus, and his thoughts slipped from him. He fell on his back with Marller standing over him.

"I must say boy, you continue to amaze." Her voice grew softer as his vision turned darker. "I've faced warriors three times your age that didn't have a quarter of the moxie you have." Her claws gently brushed through his hair. "I wonder how far I'll need to push you before you break."

The blackness overtook him.


	39. dogs of war

A/N: It has come to my attention, thanks to some attentive fans, that this fic is once again being plagiarized and that, once again, it is by the same individual from before. While I am not outraged, I am concerned over the fact that said individual feels that he needs to copy my work instead of trying to write his own. I urge said individual to either rewrite the story. Thank You.

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: DMC owned by Capcom. DOA and NG owned by Team Ninja and Tecmo.

**Dead or Alive 4: The Devil Factor**

**Chapter 39: Dogs of War**

_Douglas' Sanctuary_

_Russia_

_Saturday-11:42 p.m._

Dante was getting sick of Bolverk's little game of switch-oroo, dogs to keep him off balance while the big guy takes a shot at him every now and then. Tedious if anything else.

Dante rolled on the ground and leaped into the air in one fluid motion with Freki and Geri nipping at his heels. The demon hunter fired his handguns, pelting the demon dogs with rounds, slowing their advance. Bolverk hovered in the corner, watching the fight, looking for an opening.

When Dante landed, Freki moved in for the attack while Geri slipped around, a flanking maneuver. Dante spun on his heel, slicing into Freki while firing at Geri. Freki tumbled away, the wound a shallow one. Dante's barrage peppered Geri's face, causing it to slow down and squeeze its eyes shut to protect itself from the bullets. Bolverk rushed in, its spear aimed for Dante's heart.

Dante smiled. Almost like clockwork. Dante, still spinning, seized Geri by the scruff of its neck and hoisted it into the air, directly into Bolverk's spear. The dog yelped when the demon blade skewered it.

-NO!- Bolverk cried out. The lights within its body flared for a moment.

"Whoopsie daisy." Dante smugly sang.

Geri flopped to the floor, dark demon blood pouring out of its wound, staining the pure white hide. Bolverk stood over its body and reached for Geri, its armored-like claws brushed the wolf's fur. Ferki whined and prodded Geri with its nose, trying to get its partner on its feet. Geri remained still.

"Do you want a moment?" Dante pretended to examine his handguns. "Maybe say a few words? Personally I think you should just chuck the thing into the river and get a puppy. Maybe go for something different like a Chihuahua. You know, carry it around in a little purse or something?"

Geri's body erupted into light and dimmed into a ball that shot into Bolverk's chest.

"Or you could do that." Dante said, surprised. "Whatever, it's…was you're dog."

-You show no respect for anything, enemy or ally.- Bolverk stood straighter.

"It's my schtick, ya know? My thing." Dante shrugged. "Besides you got some bad habits yourself, stuffin' the souls of your old war buddies into dogs, turnin' them into your pets? Not very respectful."

-I see now, you mock things to belittle their value, so they won't matter. You hide from what could affect you by making it a spectacle. Very…cowardly.-

"I'm sorry, at what point in time did you think I gave two shits about your opinions?"

-You prove my point. But right now, the point is moot for again my comrade fell. But I will make sure you keep him company in hell as his chew toy.- The light from Bolverk's body pulsed red. –You will pay for this, mongrel.-

"I'm standing right here." Dante raised his arms in a 'so-what' pose. "Do something."

Ferki snarled and leaped at Dante. The demon hunter slid out of the way and rocketed toward Bolverk, the Stinger maneuver. Bolverk held up its spear like a shield, absorbing the blow. The Dark Knight whipped its spear around, pushing Dante back into Ferki who lunged at him. Dante back flipped over the dog and drove his sword down upon the wolf, skewering it like a campfire hotdog. Dante completed the flip and used to momentum to snap Rebellion behind him, ejecting the corpse.

"Wow, take one down and the other is easy to deal with." Dante flicked the blood off Rebellion. "Now that the doggies have been put down, I wonder if you'll fall just as quickly."

-Cocky. A mask to hide your insecurities.- The voice in Dante's mind teetered on the brink of pure rage. –Ferki and Geri may have been valued comrades, but they were, as you said, just animals. Let's see you pull your little antics with a _real _warrior.-

"And you call me cocky." Dante twirled Rebellion.

Bolverk slashed its spear, the scar racing along the wall toward Dante who effortlessly leaped over the invisible assault, Bolverk squeezed off the slash, it suddenly raced forward like a runaway locomotive. Dante's feet barely touched the ground when Bolverk seized the demon hunter and spiked him into the floor like a quarterback. Bolverk raised its blade to cleave the demons head in two. Dante held Rebellion with both hands, intercepting the spear.

Holding Dante in check with his spear, Bolverk backhanded Rebellion out of his grasp. Wasting no time, Dante pushed away from the large demon and righted himself.

-A real warrior would not lose his weapon so easily.- Bolverk said and brought its spear down again.

Dante raised his arms up and crossed his forearms that now had been encased in Apophis. The spear clanged against the gauntlets, causing a shower of crimson sparks.

"Then I guess I'll just pull out another." Dante quipped and pushed the spear back.

Dante slugged Bolverk in the closest place he considered a jaw. He let loose a barrage of punches that mimicked a piston in an engine that crackled with bloody electricity. He completed his attack with a hook the sent Bolverk to the ground. From a prone position, Bolverk slashed its spear to unleash another invisible attack. Dante evaded the scar by turning into a human buzz saw, stretching out a grieved powered leg and spinning in the air at speeds that would have made normal men spew out their stomach contents. Bolverk struggled to get up and was hammered by Dante's attack.

"What's wrong, tough guy?" Dante watched Bolverk stand back up. "Don't tell me you haven't fought a guy hand to hand, have ya?"

-Congratulations. You've landed a blow.- Bolverk said. –You can boast when you actually hurt me.-

Red energy gathered around Dante, swirling around him like a blood tornado. It tightened around him like an anaconda before exploding in light, revealing a more demonic form of the devil hunter. The Devil Trigger. He had to amp things up if he wanted to win.

Dante answered back with his pistols, peppering Bolverk with fire. The skeletal demon shrugged off the bullets and spun its spear about like it was caught in a twister, sending out the scar circling around the room. Dante rushed the demon, the Apophis metal leaving deep imprints in the ground. He leaped between the slices, rolling as he did, and placed the heel of his boot on the top of Bolverk's skull.

Bolverk slid back a few feet and lashed out with a fist that was more like a solid metal gauntlet than a hand. Dante intercepted the fist with his own causing a gust of air to tear through the room and unearthly energy to crackle around the two combatants. Bolverk brought its spear up, aiming to lob off a limb. Dante used his free hand and locked it with the spear. He kicked off the demon's chest and flipped back, raining lead from Ebony and Ivory while in the air. Bolverk raised its arm to absorb the shots. Once Dante landed, Bolverk stabbed its spear at him, sending out the cutting wave that pierced the Devil Hunter in the belly. Staggering from the attack, Bolverk rushed in and jammed its sword into the wound, nailing Dante to the wall.

-And with this, our feud ends.- Bolverk growled and raised its fist, aiming it for Dante's head.

Again, Dante's fist intercepted Bolverk's, locking it in place. With a smirk, Dante brought up the grenade launcher and tipped the barrel to Bolverk's head. Crimson demonic energy crackled around the gun.

"And Kaboom!" Dante sang and pulled the trigger.

The grenade launcher itself would have made a decent sized explosion, but add a demon-power charge enhancement and the detonation equaled to a missile strike. Flames engulfed the fighters and sent out a bone crunching pressure wave.

Once his ears stopped ringing and his vision un-blurred itself, Dante noticed that the spear was still in him though not in Bolverk's grasp. His Devil Trigger had worn off, making him have his usual dashing appearance. Apophis vanished in a soft crimson glow. Dante used both hands to pull the blade out and tossed it off to the side.

Now free from concentrating on the eight foot weapon jammed in his gut, Dante noticed Bolverk struggling to stand. A chunk from the crown of its head was missing, the light from the center of his body glowing from the wound. Something that sounded like an ill buffalo entered Dante's head, no doubt from Bolverk.

Dante dumped the spend grenade casing and jammed a new one in. "So? What now? Are we gonna keep doing this dance or are ya gonna cut your loses, chalk this defeat up as a learning experience, and you take your army of corpses and head out the door?"

-You offer a peaceful end?- Bolverk said genuinely confused. –Why?-

"Because, to be honest, I got more important things to do than go twenty rounds with dad's old fightin' buddy. Got some girls to wrangle up and demon flunkies to flatten. You know, typical Saturday night."

-Foolishness.- Bolverk stood straighter. –You can't focus on the important. On the fight before you. Your mind is everywhere, scattered, broken. A real warrior faces what's in front of him now, nothing else matters.-

"And yet, _real warrior_, you're losing." Dante shrugged. "Looks like you need to reevaluate your whole 'I'm a warrior' deal because it looks to me that it's not really working out for-"

Bolverk suddenly charged, sliding across the ground like a shark cutting through water. His hand aimed for the Dante's throat. The red wearing man snapped the launcher up, charged it with his remaining power, and fired. It struck Bolverk dead center. Dante's coat flared when the pressure wave hit him.

The smoke cleared and Bolverk lay crippled on the floor. Pieces from its torso had scattered around it. Its left leg lay broken and useless. The light inside its body flickered like a dying candle desperately trying to stay lit.

"Really? Between swallowing your pride and a grenade induced headache you chose the grenade?" Dante snapped his fingers and Rebellion came whirring to his hand.

-Do you take anything seriously?- Bolverk's voice lost its intensity. Instead the rumbling in Dante's head sounded like the wheezing breaths of an old man. –Is everything a joke in your eyes?-

"Most things are." Dante stood over the crumbling body. "It just isn't always funny."

Dante took the next odd noise echoing in his head as laughter that was just as weak as his words. –It almost isn't fair. The Dark Knight Sparda. My greatest rival who shook the worlds not just with his power but his convictions could have such…dim children.-

"I like to think myself as more street smart than book smart." Dante slung Rebellion onto his back. "But I'm sure my brother has a bachelor degree in douchebag-ary."

-Sparda fought for something larger than himself. He fought for an ideal. But his sons…one fights for power. And you…just what is it you fight for? Money? Petty revenge? Do you even have a reason?-

Dante folded his arms. "I ain't here to have a heart to heart with a demon who tried to kill me on two nonconsecutive occasions, alright? And why would you care about what I fight for? You're goin' back to your condo in hell."

Another laugh, this one a bit stronger. –That is why you and your brother will never be warriors. A warrior is honest with himself and his beliefs. He does not hide his fear and insecurities with jokes and facades and grabs for power.-

"I am not my father, bonehead." Dante planted a boot on the Bolverk's half dissolved head. "I ain't wearing a cape and savin' the day. I'm here to put as many of you demon fucktards into the ground as possible. The world's already a shit hole; it doesn't need you guys making it worse."

-A warrior doesn't despise himself either.- Bolverk said.

"I'm not a fuckin' warrior, dipshit, do I have to get a sledgehammer and bash that fact into your petrified brain?" Dante yelled. "I'm a devil hunter. I track you guys down and send ya back to the pit with my shoe imprint on your ass."

-Your anger maybe your mask. But I see right through it. You may have bested me, but you still have yet to conquer your greatest foe. Yourself.-

Dante could only look at the dying demon.

-Finish it.-

Dante pointed Ivory at Bolverk and fired, shattering its skull like crystal glass.

The remains of Bolverk's body collapsed on itself, breaking down like dirt in a rain storm, leaving the white light that had shinned from its ribcage. The light slowly rose off the ground and shot into Dante's chest, causing him to stumble back. He blinked a few times, flexed his arms, and looked around before shrugging his shoulders.

The infection that twisted the room died and reality returned. Dante jammed his gun back in its holster and turned on his heel.

"Better find the gals. Probably poopin' their pants without me." He looked around, taking notice of the different doorways that lead to God only knew where. "As soon as I figure out where the hell I am."

Empty groans and growls echoed down the hallways along with the clanging of armor. Glowing eyes punctured the darkness and the shuffling demon bodies came closer.

"Super." Dante muttered. "Back to clean up detail."

"In case you didn't get the memo, your boss just got sent back to the big frying pan." Dante called out. "So that means you have to go back too. Pretty sure it's in the manual you all got."

The demons did not react. The problem with dealing with the Army of the Fallen was their unbiased nature. Everything was fair game to them. With a leader, they were organized. Ironically, it made them less destructive with focus. Now that Bolverk out of the picture, they would go back to killing anything they came across. Dante wondered if he made things worse.

A Ravager suddenly broke from the group and made a rush for him. Dante sighed, un-slung Rebellion, and prepared to resume work. With both battle axes cocked back, the demon leaped into the air…and was promptly ripped in half by two white streaks.

Dante blinked. The other demons froze. Two very familiar looking white wolves walked calmly up to Dante, each with one half of the Ravager in its mouth, bringing it to him like a Frisbee. The dropped the now dead demon and looked at him intently.

"Well…" Dante cocked an eyebrow. "This is certainly new."

Nothing changed in Ferki and Geri. Then something came to Dante, something he needed to try.

"Sit." Dante commanded.

The dogs obeyed.

"Speak."

Together they barked once.

Dante eyed the remaining Army of the Fallen with a gleam in his eye that caused them to step back. Dante raised a hand and pointed.

"Sick 'em."

The dogs turned, snarled, and leaped at the skeletons.

"Not bad." Dante crossed his arms and watched Freki and Geri tear apart the demon army like they were poorly made chew toys. "Wonder if they're house broken?"

_Eliot's residence_

_Great Britain_

_Saturday-11:49 p.m._

The sound of feet pounding against the wooden steps thundered through the house as its occupants headed for the door. Margaret, frayed and wild eyed, took the lead, gentle pushed forward by Ayame with Miyako coming behind her and Robert taking the rear. Once Margaret hit the door she fumbled with the knob and heard the clicks of the lock. She switched the lock and tried again. The door refused to budge.

"Robert!" Margaret called out. "Did you dead-bolt the door?"

"Of course." Robert reached out and unbolted the lock over the knob. "Try it now."

She did and still met resistance. Robert gentle pushed his wife aside and attempted to open the door himself. He twisted and yanked on the metal, but it did not give.

"I don't understand." Robert said frantically and put a foot on the door frame and pulled as hard as he could. "Those were the only locks. Why won't this bloody thing open?"

"Because I didn't give you permission to leave."

Everyone turned to Marller who stood in the living room, hand on hip…and Eliot tossed over her shoulder like a bag of feed. The demonic looking cats were back in larger numbers. A few lingered around Marller. Another lay on the sofa, its tail flicking lazily about, the bladed tip cutting up the carpet. Robert turned behind him to see two more demon cats in the kitchen, watching with interest. Another stood at the sat at the top of the stairs.

"Eliot!" Margaret cried out. Ayame and Miyako had to restrain her as she lunged for her boy. "What did you do to him?"

"Him?" She swatted his behind. "Nothing. For the moment. Just taking a little nap. It's past his bedtime, you know."

"Don't you touch him!" Spit flew from Margaret's mouth, her hands futile reaching for the demoness throat. "Give me back my baby!"

"I will, if you give me what I want." She stretched out a hand, palm up. "The Jewel of the Forsaken please."

"What are you blathering about?" Robert yelled. "Are you robbing us? Do you want my wife's jewelry?"

"Those who don't have a clue on what I'm talking about should shut their yaps before I carve out their tongues." Marller sang.

"Give it to her." Miyako said to Ayame.

Every non demon in the room turned to Miyako.

"What?" Ayame face had gone white.

Miyako did not give a response; instead she lunged for the woman, tearing at her clothing. Robert and Margaret were paralyzed by the absurdity of the situation.

"What are you doing?" She yelled in Japanese, trying to fend off the other woman. "Let go!"

Miyako pulled back, with something in her hand. A hair ornament.

"No." Ayame made a grab for the ornament. "Give it back, please!"

"I can't." Miyako panted. "I won't."

"You have no idea what you have in your hand." Ayame pleaded. "I beg you, do not give her that."

"I have to." Miyako's voice wavered. "For my daughter."

Ayame was taken off guard, unable to stop Miyako from tossing the ornament to Marller who caught it between two fingers.

"Ah, perfect." Marller twirled the ornament with her fingers until it settled into the palm of her hand "This will make Vergil very happy."

"No." Ayame's moaned.

"There, you have your bobble." Margaret spat. "Now return my son."

"Oh, right, that." Marller purred. "I lied. Spoils of war and all that."

"But you promised-" Margaret protested venomously.

"I know, and I feel awful." Marller's smile opposed her statement. "So, instead I'm going to allow you all to live. Sounds fair to me."

"Give me my son!" Margaret roared. "You gave us your word!"

"Let me rephrase my statement. I have your son and there isn't anything you can do about it." Marller said, getting annoyed. "Savy?"

Eliot's mother was stunned into utter silence.

"Good. Now that our business here is concluded…bye bye." Marller waved as black mist sprung from her feet and coiled around her like a snake.

"No!" Margaret broke free from the Japanese women's grasp and rushed toward the mist, breaking through it like smoke. When the mist evaporated, the woman and Eliot were gone as were the demon cats.

Margaret collapsed. Her husband came to her side in an instant, trying to get her back on her feet. His wife, unfortunately, was beyond standing. Miyako stood inert, her back to Ayame.

"Why?" Ayame said, her anger appearing. "Why? What was all that for?" Miyako sank to her knees, but did not respond. "Answer me!"

"I…" Miyako began, but let her words die off.

"Do you have any idea what you have just done?" Ayame's voice crackled with rage. "That jewel has the potential to cause death and suffering beyond scale and you just _handed _to a demon."

"That…thing took my boy and all you care about is a bloody jewel?" Margaret's rage returned in full. "I just lost my son! Do you know what that feels like?"

"Yes." Ayame turned to Margaret. "I have. And it hurts, greatly. But there's something else."

"Oh, yes, there is always something else." A nearly squeaky voice came from nowhere. "Because everything has a price."

A figure appeared in the living room, a being clad in an ancient green suit with a grin plastered on his face that made Ayame's skin crawl. Everyone in the room instinctively moved back into a group.

"Right, who the bloody hell are you?" Robert stepped in front of his wife.

"I am Gentleman." The man removed his hat and bowed, showing a shiny bald head. "Do not be afraid. I mean you no harm."

"Well see about that." Robert bared his teeth. "What do you want?"

"I am here to honor a debt." The man returned his hat to his head. "Unlike the fine lady who took her leave, I keep my promises."

"You're with…that beastly woman?" Margaret said from behind her husband. "You have my son!"

"I and Lady Marller have an…arrangement between our two parties, but I do not have possession of your son nor, sadly, do I have the pull to have him released. Apologies."

"What promise are you talking about?" Robert asked.

"A promise with me." Miyako said. "I give them the jewel and my family is safe."

"And I am a man of my word." Gentleman extended his hand to Miyako. "Let us depart, good lady. You're little slice of heaven waits."

Miyako took a cautious step forward and was tackled from behind by Ayame, causing the first woman to let out a shriek.

"Is that what you betrayed us for?" Ayame seized Miyako's wrists. "Your own safety? You sold us out all because you were afraid? You coward!"

"Not for me! It was never for me!" Miyako said through tears. "I did this for my family, my daughter. She's…" She choked down a sob. "All I have left. I can't let her die."

"She wouldn't." Ayame said softly. "I know what it's like to have children in harm's way, but what you have done is…"

"What is done is done." Gentleman interrupted. "Tragic as this all is, this event has been sent into motion long, long ago by those far beyond you. But let me reassure you all, this world will burn."

"What are you gabbing about?" Robert asked.

"The end of the world, Armageddon, Judgment Day." Gentleman sang. "Any of those ringing a bell?"

"Daft. You're all off daft." Margaret shook her head. "This is a nightmare."

"Not yet." Gentleman giggled. "But soon it will."

"I've had enough of this." Robert growled. "I want to know what the blazes is going-"

"This…thing…is trying to unleash a very potent evil on this world." Ayame stood and found her courage. "But he's going to fail." The demon continued to smile his empty smile. "Because there are those working to stop him."

"Humans. Always so full of hope. Even when there is none." Gentleman said, his voice losing its cheeriness. "Besides, there are those going against you. In fact, Miyako fingers went a bit deeper than you had thought."

"No." Miyako cried out. "Don't."

"She enlisted the help of the dear young man, Eliot. He was going to be her little accomplice. Pity Marller took him before he could make his move, that would have been…a rather interesting sight."

"You…" Margaret pointed an accusing finger at the Japanese woman. "You…" She repeated, too choked with anger to form a sentence before she broke down again.

Miyako remained crumbled on the ground, the tears flowing.

"My son." Margaret moaned. "What's going to happen to him?"

"Oh, I'm sure he will be well taken care of by Marller. As a pet, of course." Gentleman cupped his chin. "Well, until she tires of him. Women can be so hard to understand."

The British woman sank into her husband's arms.

"But onto current events." Gentleman offered his hand again. "Let us gather your daughter and be away."

No one said anything as Miyako took the offered hand and vanished.

_Douglas' Sanctuary_

_Russia_

_Sunday-1:06 a.m._

"As much as I don't want to jinx it," Kokoro carefully said, "has anyone else noticed that things have gotten…quiet?"

"Now that you mention it." Christie clutched her gun tighter. "And that makes me nervous."

The trio of women had moved through the corridors of the underground complex with a destination of Dante's last known whereabouts. They had come across a few demons; most likely stragglers from the initial assault, but recently all they had encountered were dead bodies that Helena took excruciating measures to avert her sister's eyes from.

"Lovely ladies like yourselves shouldn't worry so much. It'll give you wrinkles."

Everyone snapped around to see a man in green.

"Who in the bloody hell are…" Christie fumed. "Alright, next person who just pops in here, I'm shooting."

"Be not afraid, I come in peace." The green clad demon said. "In fact, I have with me someone who wants to meet you."

A second person appeared in a flash of light. Thankfully, Christie did not make good on her promise as everyone recognized the woman.

"Mother!" Kokoro said in Japanese and ran into her mother's arms.

"Oh, my child." Miyako replied in their native language and enveloped her daughter. "Are you alright?"

"What is this?" Helena stepped forward. "We lost you at the tower and now you magically appear with…him." The French woman pointed a finger at the smiling man. "Would you be so kind as to fill us in on what you've been up to?"

"I've…" Miyako started out in English. "I wish I could tell you. It's just so…far fetched."

"We've just survived an assault by walking skeletons." Christie kept her gun trained on the man. "I think we can give you some leeway in the realm of 'far fetched'."

"Perhaps I can explain better." The man chimed in. "As you may no doubt have witnessed, the world you live in is slowly unraveling. Demons, things you all thought of as make believe, are here. And soon, very soon, a being beyond your comprehension will be unleashed upon your world. And with it, the end of your era."

"You know," Christie said. "I'm getting rightly irritated by all this death and demon blabbering."

"Bear with me for a few more moments, my lady, I'm getting to the tantalizing part." The man said. "Lady Miyako here has made some…arrangements with me."

"My dear," Miyako whispered. "You need to come with me. We're going to go somewhere far away. Someplace safe."

"What are you talking about, mother?" Kokoro was on the verge of tears. "Where are we going?"

"A place untouched by the coming storm." The man answered for her.

"I'm going to take a leap of faith here and say you're a demon." Christie replied. "So why would you offer your help if your kind is trying to take over?"

"Just like humans, we demons can be…divided on certain issues." The demon replied. "And please, call me Gentleman."

"You don't want to know what I want to call you." Christie hissed. "Kokoro, take your mother away from him."

The Japanese teen looked back to her sister and the British woman with concern and doubt in her eyes. Miyako refused to let her daughter go. "But…my mother…she…" Kokoro tried to talk but her thoughts were jumbled.

"Listen to her, sister." Helena said. "Dante said these things are not to be trusted. They lie and cheat to get what they want."

"Like you humans are so honest." Gentleman replied. "Besides, your vaunted Dante is part demon himself, how do you know that _he _isn't the one who's lying?"

"Nice try, knob." Christie smirked. "But I already know who Dante is and I know that Helena isn't going to go against the man she gave her virginity to."

The French woman choked, reddened, and glared laser beams at Christie. Kokoro could not help put on a goofy grin.

A humoring laugh came from the demon. "How…amusing that the son of Sparda would start his own harem. But no matter. Not even he can stop what is coming."

A noise punctured the conversation like an arrow, a deathly groan. The clanking of metal soon followed. The skeleton demons shambled into the area like zombies.

"Ah, looks like the remainder of Bolverk's forces still walk amongst us." Gentleman said. "I believe Lady Miyako and Lady Kokoro that we must take our leave."

"Kokoro!" Helena reached out to her sister as she and her mother vanished with the demon. "Damn it!"

"Stay focused, Lady Helena." Christie called out as she pointed her gun at the new enemies. "We have more immediate problems at hand."

Christie fired, breaking apart two of the demons like fine china. The third demon behind them was one of the heavily armored ones. Bullets pinged off its metal. Helena intercepted one of the demons with a crossbow, disarming it and knocking its head off with a clean kick. Christie chucked her gun once it ran out of ammo and brought up a pump shotgun. Before she fired, she noticed more demons pouring into the room. The fight must have attracted the rest of the horde.

A shot took the head off one of the demons, a shot that did not come from Christie.

"So this is where the party's at?" Dante grabbed the attention of everyone, human and demon. "Figures everyone hangs around the girls and here I am feeling all lonesome since I sent your boss hightailing it back to the pit."

The demons had frozen, surprised perhaps. It did not last long as one of the demons, a Pillager, brought up its crossbow. Two white flashes tackled the demons and ripped it to shreds. Once the shock wore off, the women realized that the flashes were two ridiculous sized white wolves with pieces of Pillager in their mouths. A Ravager roared and raised an axe, preparing to avenge its brother by striking down the animals. Christie blew it apart with her shotgun.

A Carnager moved in, stepping up to Helena. The blonde danced around the demon's gigantic axe.

The other demons rushed in, forcing Christie to turn from spectator to participant. She blew off a Ravager's head, but its comrades bashed aside the body, furiously clawing after the British assassin. She pumped in a new round. Dante barreled into the horde, Rebellion singing through the air, the dogs joining him in dismantling the threat. Christie provided support fire, picking off stragglers and demons that were trying to take a cheap shot at Dante.

In no time the remaining demons were dust on the floor. Christie swung around to Helena, one part hoping her nemesis was still alive and another part playing around with the idea of a tragic end. Instead she found Helena dusting off her hands over a fallen Carnager.

"How did you…?" Christie asked, remembering her taxing time fighting a Carnager even with weapons.

The French soprano smiled and shrugged.

Dante walked up to the two women, the wolves sprung beside the demon hunter. Christie, surprised, turned her weapons to the wolves.

"Easy, babe." Dante said. "They're with me."

"Who…what are they?" Helena asked.

"Long story." Dante said. "I'll regal you later. Where's the kid?"

"Long story." Christie mimicked. "We'll regal you later. Come on. We need to leave."

_Location Unknown_

_Sunday-1:17 a.m._

His mind was jumbled as he awoke. Bits and pieces of past events slowly came to him; fighting the demon cat and its demon woman master. Claws across his back. The surge of emotions that made him want to violate the woman. The pain of focus from the knife. Than the swirling embrace of sleep. He cracked open his eyes and saw a ceiling draped with sheets and fabrics. He noticed that he was surrounded by pillows, small ones the size of his head to ones the size of mattresses.

He felt drossy, unfocused. His belly ached for food and his head throbbed.

"Good, you're awake." A voice flowed into his ears.

He pushed himself up. Pain jolted down his back. He gnashed his teeth.

"Now, now, sweetness." A hand pushed on his chest. "You haven't healed yet and I'd hate for you to tear open your wounds."

"Where am…" Eliot let the hand push him on his back. "Where am I?"

"Oh, just a little hole in the wall I use." The hand caressed his stomach. "Somewhere nice and quiet and private."

A face came into view. Marller. His muscles tensed as years of training honed intuition automatically readied his body for battle. The pain returned, sharper than before, causing him to grunt and moan.

"Easy there, boy." Marller purred. "Don't be trying anything brave. You're not in a place where the public buses can reach, if you catch my drift. So escaping is rather pointless."

Eliot got a better read on his surroundings. They were in some sort of bedroom except the bed was the entire floor. He saw no door and only a single candle lit lantern hanging from the ceiling in black chains.

"Where's my family?" Eliot tried to growl. "And Ayame and Miyako? Did you hurt them?"

"Safe as kittens. A little shaken up, but fine." She traced circles on his chest with her nails.

"What do you want from me?" Eliot's eyes felt sticky, a sign of dehydration.

"Hmmm. I can think of a few things. But right now let's concentrate on getting you back at tip top form." She took his chin. He fidgeted, but her strength was surprisingly dominating. A bowl was pressed to his mouth. "Here. Drink this." It was water, but Eliot had no idea just what else the demon woman put it in it. He coughed it up and sputtered. "Stop fussing, boy."

"I want to know why I'm here." Eliot lost his patience. "If you think I'm going to let you have your way because you've taken me away from my home, you are very sadly mistaken."

"Does this mean I have to…?" She cocked an eyebrow. "Force myself on you?"

"You can try." Eliot said without an ounce of patronizing.

Marller eyes darted across his face, looking for something, anything that would betray his stalwart front, a twitch in his cheek, a quick glance to her bosom, something to tell her that he had the urge. Truth be told, he did, but he buried it underneath a desire to not show weakness and the discipline installed in him by his master Gen Fu.

"You say that now." Marller looked him dead in the eyes. "But once the shock wears off. When you fully…appreciate your situation, you'll come around."

"Who are you?" Eliot asked. "What are you after? Truly?"

"You wish to know me? I'm flattered." Marrler gave a small laugh. "I am a demoness. One of the strongest even before I was given the power of the Obsidian Mist. And I'm here to usurer in a new age. An age of the demon." She sighed. "Or something along those lines. To be honest I never had such…lofty dreams. I really don't care if we claim your world or not, it'll just be another place for us to trash. Nothing will really, truly change."

"Then why help them?"

"Let's just say that my goals require me to throw in with their lot." She studied her sharp nails. "You see, just like you humans, demon men and women approach things…differently. Demon men want power to control. They think strength means dominance. But women, or at least women of my caliber, know that the two don't have to be connected. We can use our abilities to…properly direct the men in our lives." She slowly ran her fingers through his hair. The nails barely glancing on his scalp. "Use their power as ours."

"A rather…shallow approach to life." Eliot said. "Manipulating others only weakens you. It creates a wall between you and others."

"Oh, such sweet things that come from your mouth." She sighed and brushed his cheek with the backs of her fingers. "But you miss the point. It is my destiny to conquer your sex. To control men."

"So they won't control you?" Eliot replied. "Perhaps because you were controlled by a man. Or maybe you felt like you were."

The sultriness in her face fell for a brief moment. "Such a clever boy. But despite your cleverness, your intellect, you discipline, you're still just a boy on the threshold on becoming a man, and men can't fight their primal instincts forever."

"I can." Eliot said. "Because I will."

Marller snickered. "You _talk_ well. But let's see what your actions say about you." She ran her tongue across his neck. "A taste to keep me…content for later. Need to run a quick errand." She stood and vanished within the Obsidian Mist.

_Donovan's Laboratory_

_Location Unknown_

_Sunday-1:21 a.m._

"Easy as pie." Marller smiled and twirled the hair ornament in her hand. "As the humans say."

Vergil arched an eyebrow, more intrigued than impressed.

"You actually did your job?" Donovan said. How a man could give such a backhanded comment and sound like he was giving genuine praise was amusing.

"All I had to do was put some pressure on the family and they folded like cowards." She tossed the ornament that fell deftly in Vergil's hand.

"Good. That's all three." Vergil said. "All that's left is to enter the Temple of Redemption and retrieve the orb of souls."

"The icebreaker ship is ready to go." Donovan said. "We can be there in a few days."

"I can get us there is seconds, Vergil." Marller said. "Why do you need the help of this human?"

"Because I posses the resources and knowledge that you don't." Donovan replied off handedly, like she was some poor student who didn't know any better.

"Huh." Marller clicked her tongue, amused that the ratty human could talk so high and mighty to someone with her power and not have even a trace of doubt or fear in his tone.

"Donovan's right. We've been away from the human world for quiet sometime. We need his expertise in manipulating the human world and information during our lost time."

"For now." Marller raised her eyebrows at Donovan.

"That'll be enough, Marller." Vergil said. "I'll call you if I need anything else."

"You be sure to do that." She winked and vanished.

* * *

"She likes to stir the pot, doesn't she?" Donovan grumbled.

"She wants to pit us against each other." Vergil said. "She's a manipulator. But that's why I keep her. She's useful in keeping our enemies disorganized."

"Still, someone like her can be very dangerous." Donovan pushed up his glasses. "Wild variables like her can through off even the most basic of equations in this campaign of ours."

"I know that she has an ulterior motive for working with us. No doubt something my father did. He always did annoy the denizens of demon world." Vergil sighed. "Right now, I'll let her think she's in control. Turning on her now would just complicate things."

"That is a very big risk you're taking." Donovan said.

"Everything has risks, Donovan." Vergil snapped. "There are no guarantees in life. As a man of science I would have thought you would have known that."

Donovan, despite his anger, chose his next words carefully. "But we can minimize the risks. Weigh our options. I don't see why letting her going about like this is productive."

"You let me worry about her." Vergil said like he was getting bored of the conversation.

Donovan sighed and clenched his teeth.

Vergil studied the trinket in his hand, his stern mask crumbling away to reveal venomous annoyance.

"What's wrong?" Donovan picked up on the mood in the room.

Vergil squeezed the orb until it shattered like wax.

"It's a fake." Vergil's normally cold voice teetered on rage.

_Location Unknown_

_Sunday-1:22 a.m._

Eliot sighed, dug into his pocket, and produced a small ball, gently tossed into the air and caught it.

Miyako wanted to wait, but Eliot could tell from the Japanese woman's eyes that time was of the essence. He deduced that the jewel had to be on Ayame's person since she had no bags or such. He also suspected that the jewel must be apart of something larger since having the jewel by itself would have made it too obvious. If the jewel was as valuable as Miyako made it out to be, than it would have been hidden in plain sight, something inconspicuous like a locket or charm…or hair ornament. He did a quick look through of Ayame's garments while she used the shower. Not a very proud moment in his life, but it had to be done. All he had to do was a quick swap with something of similar size and shape, a fake jewel from one of his trophies, and voila. No one the wiser.

Hopefully he had bought some precious time.

_The Devil's Dojo_

_Herein lies the techniques The Hunters have obtained in this tale so far_

Dogs of War-By channeling his demonic energy, Dante is able to summon the demon wolves Freki & Geri. While strong enough to fight lower level demons, they act more as fodder and distractions, luring the attention of other demons, allowing Dante to strike more efficiently.


	40. lies, bullets, and demons

A/N: Yours truly has been working on his thesis experiment these last few months. The cool part is that it involves video games. The not so cool part is that it soaks up all my free time. Plus Skyrim. Anyway, to keep all you doubters out there from…doubting, I guess, I am NOT abandoning this fic. I WILL finish it come hell or high water…although I would prefer it not come to that. Anyway, back to the fic.

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: DMC owned by Capcom. DOA and NG owned by Team Ninja and Tecmo.

**Dead or Alive 4: The Devil Factor**

**Chapter 40: Lies, Bullets, and Demons**

_Location Unknown_

_Sunday-7:32 a.m._

Groggy and dry mouthed, Kokoro sat up from her futon and let out a jaw creaking sigh and stretched out the stiffness in her joints. She took a long drink from her glass of water that she always had next to her bed. She flung off her covers and shambled to her feet. The sunlight seeped through the slits of her blinds. The wooden floor was cool underneath her bare feet as she walked to the window, opened the blinds, and let in the blinding golden light.

"Good morning." She yawned to herself. She could see that the day was beautiful. Cherry blossom petals fell like a light dusting of snow from the trees in full bloom. The garden was buzzing with butterflies and bees and the coy pond babbled with crisp water. A perfect day that cured her morning blues. Humming an old geisha song her mother taught her, she danced into her bathroom, shedding her pajamas and readying a hot bath with scented soaps. Normally she would just grab a quick shower, but today she felt like pampering herself a little.

As she slipped into the bath, something grazed her mind like a paper cut. Hatred. Pain. Darkness around her. Guns and swords and…it was all too muggy. Maybe it was just a dream she had last night. A nightmare maybe.

She settled into the bath, letting the warmth envelope her and melt any trace of tension she had. Her eyes fluttered closed.

Another flash. This time her half-sister, Helena, was there grabbing her hand and running from…from…it was gone again. This was too weird. Scraps of images and memory came and fluttered away before she could fully grasp them. Whatever it was, it must have been one hell of a nightmare. Odd that she could not remember it, usually they stick with her for a while, like zombies chasing her or the worst, going to school in her underwear.

She followed her usual bathing routine, washing hair with her special shampoo, scrubbing her scalp with the tips of her nails. Rinsing it in lukewarm water and then reapplying the shampoo. Lather, rinse, repeat. A code she lived by with her hair that her mother said was the embodiment of her Japanese heritage. She closed her eyes as she dunked her head into the tub.

The flash that came next was far more intense than the ones before. An explosion. Hot metal shards pelting her, stinging her bare skin. A woman standing, holding a smoking weapon. Her hair was shimmering silver. Christie, from the Dead or Alive tournament.

The images ended when she shot out of the water, dizzy and confused. Her stomach tumbled and she felt like all the blood was being sucked out of her head. She leaned on the wall and slowly relaxed back into the tub.

What was that? A panic attack? Just what did she dream?

_Stop thinking about it_, she told herself. _Just keep going on with the day_.

She returned to her routine, another shampoo and rinse followed by her body wash. After that, she lingered in the tub for a few more minutes, willing the cold knot in her stomach to go away. She emerged from the water, dried herself with a towel, wrapped herself in it, and went to the mirror and wiped away the steam.

Something suddenly charged her in the mirror, a hulking figure. Decaying armor. And bones. A walking skeleton. She shrieked and jumped back.

The thing was gone; instead she saw her own reflection, frightened and pale. Another hallucination? This time it was like she was there. But where…it was all coming back, her half-sister, Russia, demons, and her mother and…

"Mother!" She gasped and dashed out of the bathroom. The towel fluttered to the ground.

She ran down the hallways, her bare feet pounding the polished wood. "Mother! Mother, where are you?" She called out. She tore open the door to her mother's room. Empty. Her futon looked like it had not been slept in. She continued down the hall to the dinner room and burst through the door. Empty as well. In fact, she had not found anyone else in the mansion, no maids or servants or her fellow classmates. In fact, how did she get home? Better yet, why was she running through her home stark naked?

She ran back to her room, threw on her navy blue robe, and resumed her search. The house was eerily empty and quiet, yet everything looked like it was where it was supposed to be. Her room, the kitchen, the library, even the geisha students' rooms were like they were when she left.

Voices reached her ears as she past by the door that lead into her mothers' personal gardens. She almost ran through the door to get out and navigated the maze of flowers, streams, and plants to locate the voices. In the center of the garden, on the small, wooden bridge over the babbling stream that snaked throughout the garden, she saw her mother talking to a man in green…the man in green…Gentleman.

"Mother!" Kokoro called out and raced to her parent. "Keep away from him!"

"Kokoro." Miyako startled. "You're…you're up."

Kokoro put herself between her mother and the demon and assumed a Ba Ji Quan stance. The…thing stared at her like a gargoyle with a horrendous grin on its face.

"The princess awakens from her slumber." The demon practically sang in Japanese. "And I see you enjoyed a nice warm bath. I hope it was to your satisfaction, I made everything here from scratch."

"From…scratch? What are you…?" Kokoro panted, pumped with adrenaline. She took a quick glance around and noticed that while she could see sky and sun, there was no horizon. Instead a thick cloud hung around the complex like a moat of fog. This was not home.

"I'm afraid this place is still a 'work in progress' as you can clearly see. But all your necessities have been provided. Food, water, electricity, working bathroom facilities." Gentleman cupped his chin in thought. "Perhaps an orchid with apple trees and such. A 'Garden of Eden' approach."

"Perhaps we can talk about this another time." Miyako stated firmly.

"Mo…mother." Kokoro said in bewilderment. "What's going on?"

"It's…" Miyako turned her eyes away, unable to look into her daughter's eyes. "It's…complicated, my dear. I…" Miyako tried to keep the choking emotions down. "You don't know the full extent on what's happening. Your sister doesn't even know."

"Know what?" Kokoro asked, knowing that she might not like the answer.

"This isn't just your sister trying to take over her…your father's company. There's this man…a powerful man. He wants even more power and he's willing to literally damn the world to get it. I…I wanted to make sure you were safe."

"Mother." Kokoro said in disbelief. "What are you saying?"

"I…made an…arrangement. To ensure our…your safety."

"_My _safety?" Kokoro almost yelled. "What about Helena? Or Christie? Or Dante? And the students and staff at home? They were…they _are_ our family too! What about them?"

"We…we can't save everyone, dear." Miyako replied in a more rigid tone. "I made the choice and you are the most important person in the world to me, everyone else…everyone else isn't."

Kokoro shook her head, utterly floored by what she was hearing. "This…this isn't you, mother. You would never do something so…so cruel."

"I did what any worthwhile parent would do. Ensure the welfare of her child." Miyako's cracking voice betrayed her resolve.

Kokoro's jaw tensed as she tried to force words out, but nothing came, she was too amazed and angry to speak.

"This is obviously a family matter, so I'll take my leave. We'll resume our discussion at another time." Gentleman bowed.

"Wait, I want some answers from you." Kokoro stabbed a finger at the demon. The demon faded away, leaving behind his creepy smile in Kokoro's mind.

"This was the only way, dear."

Kokoro did not turn around, her framed heaved from heavy breathing. This was a nightmare, a very real and heart wrenching nightmare. She would wake up soon and be at her real home with her real mother. She slapped her checks and clenched her eyes.

"Wake up." She whimpered. "Wake up."

Miyako cast her eyes down and prayed for forgiveness.

_Helena's private jet_

_Sunday-11:28 a.m._

Helena wore the mother of all scowls as she tapped at her keyboard with a single finger. The tension in her body seemed to have seeped out and now poisoned the entire room. Even Christie found herself unable to break the awkward silence. Dante on the other hand…

"Hey does your chef do buffalo wings? Extra spicy? I haven't had wings in a while."

Dante sat in one of the fine chairs against the wall, feet up on an armrest. "What?" Dante asked as he scratched the top on one wolf's head while the other gnawed on the T-bone from Dante's steak.

"Do you really have to keep those…things?" Christie asked cautiously.

"Hey, I killed their former master, so I would like to think that looking after 'em would be the neighborly thing to do and it would be cruel to let these majestic creatures go without someone to take care of 'em." The wolf Dante was scratching turned its head so Dante's fingers could work on its ear.

"Well can't you…make them go away for a little bit?"

"What's wrong, are you afraid of the big bad doggies?"

Christie snarled and bared her teeth. Dante smirked. "Don't tell me this is gonna lead to one of those 'talks' is it?"

Christie kept her glare for a while. She hated dogs, usually because the ones she usually encountered were guard dogs. Snarling, barking, biting, annoying guard dogs. She was willing to overlook some of his other…foibles, but dogs were something she wouldn't accommodate. She'd have to train that out of him. "Anyways we-"

Helena suddenly snapped to her feet and violently swept the computer, and everything else, off her desk. The equipment scattered on the ground in broken plastic and computer chips. Christie nearly jumped out of her chair, a learned reaction, her eyes popped fully open. Dante's smile fell like a hammer

"Get rid of the dogs." Helena said in between angry pants. Her hair covered her eyes. "_Now_."

Dante paused for a moment before he snapped his fingers. The dogs morphed into balls of light and shot into Dante's chest. "If you hate dogs so much, all you had to do was tell me."

"What the hell are we?" She practically screamed. "Huh?"

Christie knew a rhetorical question when she heard it. Dante on the other hand…

"Team awesome, baby." Dante said, utterly straight faced and raised a single fist into the air.

Helena snapped her head to Dante, teeth clenched tight and eyes focused in sheer anger. Dante slowly lowered his fist.

"We are _worthless_!" She spat. "My little sister, my only family, was snatched _right in front of us_!" She gripped her hair with rigid fingers. "And we did nothing. NOTHING!"

Ok, this was new. Christie was used to the haughty, uptight, and whining Helena, not…this. She kept herself seated and hoped this little meltdown was just more of her drama.

"This is unacceptable! We lost the safe house _and _my sister and we runaway. No more running, no more hiding. We hit back. Now! We get Kokoro back."

"How?" Dante asked. "Where?"

Helena jolted like she had been dumped in an ice bath. "It…I…" she struggled.

"The…icebreaker Donovan bought, the _Ondatra_." Christie said cautiously. "That's our only lead."

Helena's breathing calmed as she mulled the idea around. "Then that's where we're going."

"Cool." Dante said. "What's the game plan?"

"We…" Again the French Soprano stumbled. "We invade. Take the ship over."

"Well shoot," Dante snapped his fingers in an 'ah-shucks' gesture. "I left my Jolly-Roger flag at home."

"Your idea does sound…extreme, Lady Helena." Christie felt like walking on eggshells. "Perhaps we should-"

"Don't you start, you _salope!" _Helena suddenly slipped into French and practically foamed at the mouth. "_Me faut retourner à la pute qui m'a accouchée__!_"

Christie found herself in a position she had never been in before, rendered speechless.

"Ok, I don't know French, but I know a freak out when I see it." Dante stood and placed his hands on Helena's shoulders. "Let's calm down before-"

Helena whipped around and swatted his hands away. "_Ne me touchez pas! Je sais où ces mains ont été, dans toute cette ... cette .. salope britannique_!"

Dante backed off cautiously and turned to Christie. "What she say?"

"Um…It's best if you didn't know." Christie eyed Helena cautiously.

"Alright, we don't have time for your temper tantrum, princess." He seized her by the arms. She struggled and cursed in French. "Yeah, yeah, I know, you're pissed. Whoopdee-fucking-doo. Pull yourself together before-"

Helena slapped him. A tickle to Dante, Christie surmised, but it was the act that was her statement, not the pain.

"Don't you _dare_ think you can touch me because we…" Helena snapped a quick glance to Christie. "Nevermind."

The assassin let out an amused sound. How cute it was for her to suddenly have a foul mouth but get shy when it came to sex.

"Ok, fine, get testy and reckless." Dante said angrily. "I'm done." He spun on his heel and made for the door.

Funny, the French brat slapped the demon but she's the one with the reaction, gapping mouth, terror stricken eyes. She reached for Dante who was already out the door.

_Better than a soap opera_. Christie thought, letting her smirk show.

_Location Unknown_

_Sunday-12:16 p.m._

Eliot ate carefully, unsure what to expect. He doubted that she put broken glass or poison in his meal, but still, he was in the lair of a demoness, being precautious was just common sense. His fancy plate with gothic decorations, held an odd heap of meat hunks in a blue sauce.

"What's wrong?" Marller asked in her 'sweet' tone or the closet she could get it. "Don't you like it? It's a dish from my world. Megalodon with my special sauce. Very tangy." She poked a thin knife-like utensil into a hunk of glazed meat and popped it into her mouth. "Mmmm. The flavor is just exquisite."

"Megalodon? The giant shark?" Eliot asked. "Haven't they been extinct for millions of years?"

"In your realm, yes." She answered offhandedly. "In ours, they're just swarming our oceans…when they aren't being eaten by bigger things." She grinned as she chewed.

"Ah." Eliot said, staring at the plate. "Interesting."

"Interesting?" Marller repeated. "Not very engaging dinner conversation. You need more experience talking to girls."

"So I hear." Eliot said as he tried to spear a piece of meat. Every time he pierced a chunk, it split apart.

"Sorry, I forgot that you aren't familiar with demon cutlery." She smiled apologetically. "Here." She held up her own knife-thing with a chunk of meat impaled upon it, dripping in sauce. With her hand underneath it, she offered it like a loving wife.

Eliot just regarded her with cold eyes. "Just what is it you're trying to do?"

"Feed you, silly boy." She chuckled. "Open wide."

Eliot's mouth remained clamped tight.

"Now, now, don't act like that." She scolded softly. "Or you won't get dessert."

"What do you want from me?" Eliot burst out. "Stop playing house and tell me."

Marller sighed in defeat and popped the fish into her mouth. "Honestly, I'm not sure. Boredom, maybe."

"You kidnapped me because you were _bored_?" Eliot almost choked.

She shrugged. "It happens. Demons kidnapping humans to break the humdrum. Although it usually revolved around a male demon and the fair maiden and…well you can put it together."

"Rape. How lovely." Eliot said flatly. "Is that what I can expect here?"

Her smile relaxed. "No, I'm a different type of hunter. I prefer the prey to come to me." She drank from a silver goblet that looked ancient. "Willing partners are so much more…enjoyable."

"But why me?"

She licked her lips thoughtfully. "You…you're something I haven't encountered in quite some time. A blend of disciplined warrior and naïve boy. Confident, but humble. Predator…" Her hand brushed his bangs, causing him to lurch back. "And prey."

"I will not play your sick game, lady." Eliot firmly replied. "No matter how beautiful you look on the outside, I know what you are and I will not…"

Eliot had seen Marller in action before, he had seen her speed. It was obvious that she held back during her invasion of his home. Or perhaps he was still not back to his old self. The demoness jumped and pinned him before his learned reflexes could even fire in his brain synapses. Eliot struggled in vain. Her grip was like iron cuffs and her nails stung his flesh.

"You _will_ break, boy." Her face a mixture of ecstasy and rage. "All men break. All of you are slaves to your desires and urges."

Eliot could see that fighting back physically would be futile, so he tried another tactic. He stopped struggling.

Marller sported a victorious smile. "Good boy, you're getting it." She loosened her hold and ever so gently slid her fingers down his arms. He could feel the dagger-like nails through his clothing and when she reached the buttons, her fingers moved deftly, undoing the first button with ease. "Now relax and let me…"

Eliot grasped her hands, gently, stopping her movements. He briefly wondered how she could manipulate his buttons so expertly. Also he suddenly realized that he was not wearing the same clothes when he fought her. Also he had not showered since his capture, yet he did feel…clean. He dared not try to reason it all out in his head.

Eliot scooted out from under her, put at least a good meter between then, turned around, sat in the Lotus Position that Master Gen Fu taught him, and closed his eyes. Lesson one: A warrior must know when to use power and when to not use it.

Marller made a sound, a choke of astonishment. "Really? What are you…?" Her words died out.

Eliot meditated. He focused on the anguish within and turned it, morphed it into something else. Focus. All a warrior needed to keep calm was focus. Lesson two Master Gen Fu taught him.

"Oh, I see." Marller purred. "Trying to give me the cold shoulder, eh? Well, let's see how cold you are after a few days without food." She said with as much spite as she could.

He did not hear another word from her. No doubt she had disappeared and took lunch with her. Or was it dinner? It was hard to keep track of time without a watch or clock. It did not matter. He had fasted before during his training. A warrior must learn how to hone and control his body. Lesson three.

_Every warrior has his trials he must complete._ Eliot thought. _I guess this is mine._

Before he could begin the breathing exercises, a voice pierced the silence, high in pitch and the words were almost like lyrics in a song.

"Good afternoon, my good boy." Eliot opened his eyes to see a man in green. "May I have a moment of your time?"

_Helena's private jet_

_Sunday 1:02 p.m._

Picking through the jet's cramped cargo area was like a scavenger hunt. Most of the time he found boring junk like fancy plates and weird looking plastic stuff he never seen before, but after some patience and some torn containers, jackpot. Whiskey, single barrel, real high end stuff. He plopped down on a metal box stamped with Russian letters and propped a leg up on another. He leaned his back against a support beam with a small fire extinguisher hanging from it.

Dante wondered if he took it a bit far this time. He was getting sick of Helena's breakdowns. The French corporate queen did suffer some big hits during her life and she was going cold turkey from some powerful…well let's call them pharmaceuticals. He hoped that his stunt would snap Helena out of her cycle of rage and get it focused on what was important. But the truth be told, he was getting annoyed looking at her when she flew off the handle…or maybe he was seeing himself from a long time ago. Someone he never wanted to see again.

The heavy door swung open followed by the clacking of heels against the hard metal floor. "So here's where you've been hiding, luv."

"Yep." Dante said and popped the top of the cubed shape bottle. "How's Frenchy?"

Christie closed the door behind her and sauntered in. "I've never seen anyone be so pissed off and utterly helpless at the same time." Christie smirked and stood next to Dante with folded arms. "Bravo."

Dante sighed through his nose. "Not one of my better moments, I'll admit." Dante took a swig. "But she needs to get her head in the game and get over this 'poor me' bullshit that's clouding her judgment." He offered the bottle to the British assassin.

She took the bottle and had the mouth centimeters from her lips. "And you wanted to teach her that by storming out like a child not getting his way?" She drank an equal amount that Dante took.

"Again, not one of my better moments." Dante saw the look in Christie's eyes. "Look, I'm not a councilor here, okay? And I didn't grow up in an environment that encouraged expression of one's innermost feelings? Where I grew up, being soft meant either being used or being dead."

"Preaching to the coir." Christie passed the drink back.

Dante took another drink, longer than his last. The stinging liquid conjured up memories that he had thought obliterated by alcohol. An irony for sure.

"I'll talk to her." He said and offered the bottle to Christie again. She raised her hand in a 'no thanks; gesture. "It's not a good idea to keep the boss an emotional wreck."

"True." Christie watched him down the last of the bottle. "But I can't help but wonder if perhaps you're getting a bit too…attached to her."

Dante leveled his eyes at her. "What are you getting at?"

"Oh, don't get me wrong, I think its darling to see the French princess fall for the American knight. For a while I didn't think she knew that what was between her legs could be used for more than just urinating." Dante rolled his eyes as she continued. "It's just that I'm not so sure if she sees you as a bed warmer or something to walk down the aisle for."

"I'd like to think that we both know that first loves never last." Dante pitched the empty bottle behind him.

"First love?" Christie said, amused. "Are we talking about her or you?"

"Don't be cute." Dante sneered in annoyance. "Neither of us is looking to buy a home and shop for baby clothes. Besides, she's married to her job, it seems."

"Pity." Christie said mockingly. "And here I was thinking you two were doing so well."

"Why? So can play me against her?"

Christie did not reply, impressed more than amazed.

"Did you really think you were the first girl to try use your 'feminine wiles' to control me?" Dante used a dramatic tone when he said feminine wiles. "No offense, but I've seen better attempts. And for future reference, you kinda oversold it."

"I see." Christie became amused again. "Well, I'll try to do better next time."

She was not going to quit. Dante knew it. She would try something else, probably something more drastic. He would have to keep his attention extra close to her.

"I think I'll take a nap. Catch up on my beauty rest." Christie arched an eyebrow. "You do realize that you're sitting on top of a container of over 90 kilograms of C4, right?"

Dante looked down at the container, trying to see the words for C4 in the Russian letters. "She brought explosives on a plane?" Dante asked, flabbergasted.

"Nope. She didn't." She said with a wink and putting her finger to her lips. She left with a spring in her step.

"Ok." Dante said to himself. "I'll pay a lot more attention to her." He eased himself off the crate and walked to the door, looking over his shoulder, memorizing the wording on the container.

Just incase.

_Donovan's Laboratory_

_Location Unknown_

_Sunday-3:24 p.m._

Marller appeared in the human's cavern of science gone amuck. She took in some sights while she let Eliot think about his actions. The Eiffel Tower, the Great Wall of China, the Empire State Building. The humans had made some impressive things while the demons were away.

Hopefully a day or two alone and hungry would make the boy rethink his priorities.

She spotted Donovan and Vergil near the professor's, what did he call it, holo-tank. They were studying a map of an island that they said housed the Temple of Redemption. Donovan leaned against the tank's metal frame with both hands, his head dipped in weariness. Vergil had his rigid posture with Yamato behind his back and clenched tightly in his hand with the weapon that used to be Doku hanging off his belt.

Vergil was a bit too reserved for her liking. Too cold and detached. Trying to get into his icy husk of a heart was nigh impossible. She hoped to find a way in, but his greed for power blinded him to everything around him. A very fatal flaw.

She was surprised the professor was still awake. Donovan was a rather odd duck, even for a human. His sleeping habits were…sporadic. In fact she could not remember the last time she saw him asleep. Not that she cared it was just eerie.

One of the human's creations, a clone it was called, approached her with a tray of tea in a beige ceramic cup. She waved off the soulless thing and walked forward. "Hello boys, what interesting thing are you…"

The men snapped around, unpleasant looks plastered on their faces.

"Uh…" Marller suddenly lost her calm. "Don't tell me that this place just became 'no girls allowed'."

"You." Vergil pointed at her with the handle of Yamato. His eyes were lasers of pure ice drilling into hers. "Failed."

"Why darling," Marller trembled. "Wh…what's wrong?"

"You brought us a fake." Donovan spitefully accused. "A worthless trinket. So either you're trying to undermine our efforts or you're a gullible idiot who can't tell a rare demon gem from a wax bauble."

Marller could actually feel the blood leaving her face. "What? N…no. I brought you the Jewel of the Forsaken. It was hidden in that Japanese woman's hair ornament. Her clan was visited by your father, it all fit."

"And yet, we don't have it." Vergil spoke coldly.

Marller opened her mouth, but did not speak. She had nothing to offer and she was not sure what Vergil would do if she kept bumbling and apologizing. He was not the type of person to appreciate groveling.

"This is a disaster." Donovan fumed and ran his hands through his steel colored hair. "The _Mugen Tenshin_ Clan was our only lead."

"Well if it is our only lead than I guess we'll have to cancel everything." Vergil said in a tone that could only be barely called sarcastic. "Unless we make sure it was our only lead."

"What are you suggesting?" Donovan adjusted his glasses, nonplussed on Vergil's comment.

"We take it from the top." Vergil said. "We go back to the woman who had the jewel."

"I…I don't know where she is." Marller barely got out.

Vergil was with Donovan a good fifteen feet away from her and in an eye blink his face was a millimeter from her face, startling her. "Then I suggest we _find_ her."

"We?"

"Yes." Vergil said like she was hard of hearing. "We."

"Ok." Marller said, regretting her rather bland response.

_This is…good. _She thought to herself. _Some alone time to dig into his mind._

With a smile and a twirl, the Obsidian Mist enveloped them both.

_Helena's private jet_

_Sunday 1:02 p.m._

Helena was not used to crying. Even at her mother's funeral she did shed a tear. Instead she was just numb, dead inside, unable to grasp what had happened to her. It was not until when she got home and had to go through her mother's things did it hit her. She cried, for hours. After that, she never shed a tear again. She never went back into her mother's room again. But now…now she was laid out on her bed, trying her best not to have the tears come out.

"I…won't…cry." She said through clenched teeth and gripped sheets. "Not for him."

A hard knock came from her door.

"_S__'en aller_." She said, trying not to choke. "I do not wish to be disturbed."

"It's me." Dante's voice came from the other side of the door.

She shot out of bed. Her heart raced. Her mouth went dry as she struggled to find the words she wanted to use. "Fuck off." She said, much to her own horror.

"Ok, I suppose I deserved that." Dante said as entered the room.

"I said get out!" She spat and threw a pillow at him. Childish perhaps, but she was too angry to care. The pillow harmlessly landed on Dante's face.

"Look." Dante tossed the pillow aside. "I wanna clear the air alright?"

"I don't want to hear it." Helena muttered and turned away. "I have nothing to say to you."

"Ok. That." Dante pointed at her even though she was not looking at him. "That right there. That's the reason I walked out. You're acting like the spoiled brat Christie makes you out to be. You put on airs about being this total domination queen, but when things don't go your way, BAM, you crawl back into your spoiled little girl shell."

"You said you were loyal." Helena's voice trembled with rage. "You said you'd stay by my side through all of this." She turned around, almost snarling. "And then you just walked away. You word obviously means nothing and I have no patience for men who don't honor their obligations."

"Honor their obligations? Who talks like that?" Dante shook his head and continued. "Look I wasn't really quitting. I mean, I'm on a plane, where the hell am I gonna go?"

Helena's face softened, only slightly, her anger was still there.

"If we're gonna rescue your sister and all that, we need you to be the leader you're capable of being, alright?" Dante said sternly. "I ain't leader material. Hell, most of the people who hang around me just do whatever the hell they want to. My business is just as organized as a drunken bachelor party."

"I…" Helena's anger drained, replaced by the look of a lost girl. "I know that but…" The tears came welling again. "_Dieu ce qui est difficile_." She whispered before continuing. "I don't…I feel so…dazed. I can't concentrate, I feel like I'm half asleep sometimes." She shivered and hugged herself. "I feel sick, but…I don't know."

"It's the withdrawal. Sounds like its getting worse." Dante muttered and scratched his head.

"Plus the stress of…this." Helena motioned around and laughed sadly. "Oh, so much is wrong and I…I feel nothings going right."

"Yeah, you get those moments." Dante mused. "I call 'em weekdays."

She laughed at his bad joke. The tears came and she placed her hands over her eyes. A few moments ticked by in almost silence except for the occasional sob from Helena. Dante did not know whether to stay or go.

"Dante." She said through sobs. "Please don't stand there like a statue. Come. Sit."

Dante shifted his feet a moment before taking Helena up on her offer. He plopped down next to her, causing the bed to shift slightly. Helena let herself tip over and rest her head on Dante's shoulder.

"I used to have my job down to a fine science. But…I don't know if that was really me or…the pills." She whispered. "Now everything seems like a struggle."

"Yeah. I know." Dante said like he just heard a painful story. He put an arm around her waist. "It'll get better with time."

"Really?" Helena asked softly.

Dante looked around the room for a moment, unsure of what to say before he answered. "Well, some things get better."

"That's what I thought." Helena somberly replied. She closed her eyes and leaned further into Dante, her head now comfortably against his chest. "I was so used to being alone. Even with maids and employees and…_her_ I was by myself." Dante knew exactly which her she was referring to. "I thought I could handle it, but now…" She nuzzled his chest. "It's your fault, you know, making me feel this way."

"If you're expecting an apology, I'm afraid I'm gonna have to disappoint you."

Helena did not reply, instead she kept herself close to Dante, feeling the warmth through his shirt. After a while, Dante's hand began to softly stroke her hair.

"My sister…she doesn't deserve this." She said. "Why did I do this to her?"

"Don't start second guessing yourself." Dante spoke. "I know I gave you hard time about it, but you do care about her."

"Of course. She's my family. You're supposed to love your family, right?"

Dante did not answer.

"Where's…where's Christie?" Helena asked calmly.

"Taking a nap, I think. At least that was what she told me." Dante sounded drained.

"Stay here." She said and slipped away from Dante. "I think I have an idea about what we can do about Donovan, I just need to some input from Christie." She pushed herself off the bed and walked away.

"I take it you want to say something to her in private?" Dante cocked an eyebrow. "Should I hide the sharp objects in her room?"

"No. We'll have a meeting together, but it can wait." She turned the lock on her door. "Right now…I need to rest."

She turned back to Dante and went back to her bad, undoing her earrings. The devil hunter did not say anything, wondering what was going to happen next. She placed the jewelry on the nightstand along with her necklace. She moved to the bed and gently pushed Dante on his back. She crawled above him and laid down, half on the bed, half on Dante.

"I don't recall my job description detailing a 'living pillow' clause." He said in jest.

"Just a while." She whispered. "Just like this, please."

She felt his chest heave as he sighed. "Alright." He whispered back and put an arm around her, pulling her close. She relaxed her muscles, letting her body heat meld with his.

She was alone, yes. She _was_. But now…well it was something she would have to get used to. Something she wanted to get used to.

_The Ondatra_

_DOATEC-owned docks-Russia_

_Sunday 3:43 p.m._

The wind whipped and stirred around the Russian docks. The snow caked buildings that spotted the dock looked like they would collapse under the weight at any moment. The target, the icebreaker, was anchored in port, being loaded with supplies by a line of workers bundled up in winter-resistance clothing.

None of the workers even noticed two ghostly figures slip through the arctic environment as deftly as mice in a field. The figures paused briefly at the door to the barracks, checking to see if anyone had seen them. Leon, his face covered with goggles and a white balaclava, put his back to the wall and carefully cracked open the door. Bayman swept into the room, keeping his rifle up and ready. After a visual survey of the area, he lowered the AK-12, a Russian assault rifle that the Russian army was 'still developing'. Bayman knew the right people to have a few of the guns for 'testing purposes'. The gun, an evolved model from the famous and numerous AK-47 and Ak-74 series, was outfitted with a 60 round casket magazine, ACOG scope, and arctic camouflage.

"Strong winds. Snow flying everywhere. Zero visibility." Bayman said as he peeked out the window, seeing only blurred white.

"Perfect conditions." Leon said as he entered the room and shut the door behind him.

"Yeah." The Russian wiped his nose. "But where are all the fucking guards?"

"No towers, no cameras." Leon took off his goggles and mask. "Over 50 men and not a gun between them."

"I don't like this." Bayman growled. "This is insultingly easy."

"Are you thinking this is a trap?" Leon stood beside Bayman, looking out the window. The Italian handled the Beretta ARX 160 rifle, a weapon from his homeland. The gun, also camouflaged for the environment had only a thermal scope to help see through the snow and winds.

"That or we picked the wrong place." Bayman said without sarcasm and marched back to the center of the room to retrieve the hidden cache of supplies they smuggled in. "Still, we don't know exactly what's inside the ship. Could be an army in there." He opened the wooden chest and removed the false top to reveal ammunition boxes, first aid kits, grenades and other explosives.

"Donovan isn't supposed to arrive until Tuesday." Leon reminded. "It feels like we're jumping the gun on this."

"The _schedule_ says he's supposed to arrive on Tuesday." Bayman retrieved a balanced throwing knife and spun it in his hand once. Satisfied with the weight, he slid the knife into a sheath on his arm. "If that man did whatever the official schedule said he would do, I would have killed him long ago."

"False information." Leon nodded. "Smart. But we know he's coming here, right?"

"We already went over this." Bayman "He'll be here. This is something he's put a lot of time and effort into. There's no way he'll send some flunky to oversee this, he'll come personally to take charge."

"You're awfully sure of this." Leon said. "What makes you so sure that he'll take that risk of being out in the open?"

"I know him." Bayman grimly said. "I've studied everything about him. He'll be here."

Leon did not say anything instead he flipped a switch on the scope on and off. Bayman unpacked a .50 caliber sniper rifle and slapped in the barrel.

"Remember, I'm the one that takes the shot." Bayman

"Right." Leon said.

* * *

Hours passed. The shroud of whiteness had turned black when the sun faded away. The workers retired to the barracks. The two assassins had long since slipped back into the cold. They maneuvered their way through the large containers and small buildings. They found a spot a good kilometer away from the main docks that overlooked the main road. Once the professor stepped out of his armored, bullet-resistant glass SUV, his head would be forcibly removed from his shoulders.

Leon had suggested using explosives. Rig Donovan's room and workplace to explode after the ship departed. Bayman shot down that idea. He wanted to confirm the kill with his own two eyes. Leon did not say anything in protest, but Bayman could tell that the Italian had some…concerns about the assignment. Leon was no stranger to personal vendettas, which is why he felt a little uncomfortable with Bayman's. He knew what grudges can do to a man, even a seasoned killer like Bayman.

Bayman knew it too, but he could not go on living with the knowledge that Donovan's betrayal would go un-avenged. It was bad for business and his image.

Wrapped in cold resistant clothes and an anchored down camouflage net, the two men for hire waited for the vehicle in the prone position, laying flat out on the ice and snow. Leon looked through the thermal binoculars, scanning for a heat source that was big enough for a car while Bayman kept his sight through the rifle's scope. Time seemed to slow to a crawl.

The cold became colder. Even their clothes were starting to have trouble blocking out the bitterness of the wind. Leon resisted the urge to shiver. Even under the cover of the weather he knew better than to move when preparing for an ambush.

"Leon." Bayman whispered, breaking their silence. "Look at the snow."

"Yeah, there's a lot of it." Leon growled back. "Shut up so we can…"

"No, it's color." Bayman said more urgently. "It's…green."

Leon backed his gaze out of the grainy white and black thermal image of the binoculars and let his eyes adjust to the real world. His eyes stung from watching a computer screen for hours and saw the snow that was whipping around had indeed turned a shade of green.

"This is…new." Leon blinked rapidly, seeing if the color was due to his eyes adjusting to the bland colors of the thermal binoculars.

"I've never seen snow do this before." Bayman hissed out. "And I've seen a lot of snow."

"Is this natural snow or one of Donovan's harebrained experiments?" Leon asked.

"Believe me, gentlemen." A deep voice laced with Japanese accented English said behind them. "This is as unnatural as it gets."

On pure instinct, both men rolled out from the netting, breaking it apart. They rolled to a crouched position and raised their guns. A large, barrel-chested man with thick arms and a beard that left his chin exposed stood over the ambush point. He wore tattered clothes, but seemed perfectly comfortable with the cold and wind. Another oddity was his skin, grayish-white, like a corpse left in the arctic.

"Raidou." Bayman said as he trained the sniper rifle on the man's head. "Reports said that you were dead, killed in the first tournament."

"A minor set-back." Raidou chuckled. "At least it was for me. For you two I fear it may be a bit more permanent."

Bayman fired. The bullet shattered a portion of Raidou's head. It _shattered_ the man's head, like he was made of glass. The damaged half began to grow back, like ice forming around a water source. Bayman fired again. A slab of thick ice jutted out between the assassin and the former living ninja, absorbing the shot. Leon fired his assault rifle. The bullets chipped away at Raidou's form, but they did no real damage.

Raidou flung something at Leon, puncturing his shoulder. Leon stumbled back and grasped the object. A knife, a kunai, made of ice.

"Move!" Bayman barked in Russian. "We're too open. Back to the docks!"

Leon fired the rest of what was in his clip one handed as he fell back with Bayman who emptied the sniper rifle at the resurrected ninja. The wall grew in size and surrounded Raidou like a fortress.

The men were halfway to the docks when Raidou appeared, seemingly from the wind itself, and struck the two with the backs of his fists, sending them to their backs. Bayman and Leon gathered themselves up and realized that their enemy had their weapons. The guns broke apart in his hands like they were cheap plastic toys.

"Is this really the best you two have to offer me?" Raidou huffed in annoyance. "Guns? And you call yourself warriors?"

"No." Leon smirked. "We call ourselves professionals." He gave the demon ninja the finger, with a pin from a grenade around it like a ring.

Raidou looked down just in time to see the grenade at his feet go off. The explosion showered him in white hot shrapnel along with an explosive force strong enough to rip limps off and turn a normal man's innards into goo. But to Raidou, it was only like a strong breeze hit him.

His annoyance turning into irritation, Raidou used his powers to blow the smoke and kicked up snow away so he could face his prey. They were gone, but he saw the tracks they left and a small blood trail from the Italian leading to the docks.

"Run all you want." Raidou growled. "You're in my element."


End file.
